


The Savior Mr. Dixon

by mrspadrona



Series: Alexandria Savior [1]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Angst, Ass Play, Dark, Dysfunctional Relationships, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Masturbation, PTSD, Spoilers, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-24
Updated: 2016-11-30
Packaged: 2018-08-24 09:36:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 31,758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8367355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mrspadrona/pseuds/mrspadrona
Summary: What happens when Daryl is taken by Negan after the Season 7 opener. How might his life change?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> HERE THERE BE SPOILERS. IF YOU HAVE NOT WATCHED SEASON 7 PREMIERE, THIS HAS MAJOR SPOILERS  
> You've been warned

It took a while to get used to a new way of things. At first, The Saviors weren’t all that welcoming and Daryl spent more than what he’d considered his fair amount of time running the shit. Things didn’t improve for him during the first month, or even the first three. He didn’t fit in; He wasn’t as comfortable with the Saviors as he had been with Rick’s group. But Daryl was many things in his short time on this planet and one of them was a survivor.

At first, he’d figured he’d hold out until the Alexandria crew came to help him escape. Kept his eyes open for any opportunity, any sign they were coming. He was itchy and antsy the first time a group left to go “collect”. He hadn’t expected to be a part of that group and he wasn’t disappointed. Negan had assigned him to another collection in another area. It was a group of 10 and he was the new guy so he was stuck doing most of the heavy lifting and hauling of their tribute. He was also the point guy for any walkers they may have run into while they were collecting.

It happened about six months out. He knew the route, knew the road and how long they would be here. The settlement, if you could call it that, was pretty small and they didn’t have much. Daryl remembered that once upon a time, he’d have been a part of something that would have helped them but these days, it was easier to just do the job he’d come to do. Adapt and survive. Rick wasn’t coming and Daryl had come to accept that. While he didn’t consider himself to be a Savior, he knew he wasn’t an Alexandrian anymore either … there’d been things he’d done that he knew would never pass for acceptable with Rick Grimes. 

He was keeping an eye out for anything suspicious while Gary loaded supplies into the truck and Punch went to the barn to collect their half of the harvest. Something wasn’t sitting right in his gut and he had his crossbow raised before Punch’s hand touched the door. The settlement was too peaceful and the people were too complacent. He was reminded of a farm in the distant past … of a preacher who’d believed the dead could be cured.

“Punch!” He called out to get the man’s attention. No sooner had he turned than his hand yanked the door open and Daryl let a bolt fly, landing with a THUNK in the eye of a walker. Suddenly, the yard was filled with them and Punch was making a run for the truck while Gary started the engine. One by one, Daryl let bolts fly, covering Punch’s exit towards the truck as much as keeping his back clear of grabbers. Gary threw the truck into gear and Daryl cursed down at him, holding his gun in his other hand and pointing it directly into the driver’s side window.

“Now don’t you go fuckin movin’ this here truck til that boy’s on it, you hear me?” Daryl raised the crossbow again, loading his final bolt and landing it in the shoulder of a walker that had Punch by the front of his shirt. He jumped without thinkin and went in with his knife, hacking the throats and skulls of every walker between him and the kid. He was covered by the time he got to Punch and had to practically throw him at the truck. They clung to the rear handles and he slammed his fist against the side.

“GO!”

The truck lurched and the walkers were left behind, with townspeople trying to herd and kill what was left. For the first time in his life, Daryl didn’t feel bad for their fate.

***

Arriving back at camp and unloading their haul, Punch took a moment to clap Daryl on the shoulder in thanks. It was the first real acknowledgement that he’d had outside of “Hey you”. It didn’t quite feel like acceptance, but it wasn’t outright hatred either. He finished unloading the haul and went looking for his bunk. His adrenaline had burned out and he was exhausted. All he wanted to do was sleep for a few hours before he’d have to go work his mandatory community hours. He compared a lot of what he did here with how things had been at the prison. Everyone pitched in, everyone contributed what they could. True that most of their supplies were given as tribute from other settlements but that was the price for being the small fish in a larger ocean, wasn’t it? The little guy gives to the big guy so if another guy comes along, they have protection. Shit, even Merle had taught him that one once or twice. He didn’t like to think of Merle too much. Visions of those walker dead eyes still haunted him from time to time.

As he woke from his nap and got ready to go out and help Vanda load shotgun shells he was surprised to see Negan waiting for him by the door. They didn’t interact much, if at all. Since he’d been taken from the Alexandria group, he’d maybe seen Negan three or four times total and it was always at a distance. Now, that predatory grin was right in his face and Daryl wasn’t sure what to make of it.

“I heard a story today, Daryl. It seemed a pretty interestin’ one and I was hoping you could shed a little light for me.” Negan’s voice gave nothing away but he tapped Lucille against the doorframe casually.

“I ain’t real sure which story you’re wantin’ to hear about. Th’ one where that shit-hole of a settlemen’ decided to have a surprise party waitin’ on us in their barn to the tune of about 15 walkers or th’ one where me n’ Punch almost got lef b’hind because Gary’s a fuckin pussy? Which story was you thinkin’ I’d be tellin’ ya?” Daryl could do casual. Even went so far as to lean his shoulder against the wall next to him and cross his arms over his chest. He looked Negan right in the eye … something that it occurred to him he’d never really done with Rick. With Rick, it was always just to the side or lookin at his chin. Make him think you was makin’ eye contact but never quite gettin’ there. You never knew if Rick would take it as a challenge. With Negan … well shit, it was almost a guarantee that he would.

“Gary tryin’ to leave behind 2 of his crew? Well now that doesn’t sound so much like Gary does it? How’s about you and I go take a walk, Daryl and we’ll go find out what ol’ Gary has to say about this. See, I’ve already heard Punch’s version and now I’ve heard yours. What’s say we ask the man of the hour?”

Negan turned and walked towards the center of the grounds. Daryl knew better than to NOT follow him and when they arrived at the bunkhouse where Gary stayed, Punch was already there waiting. He looked like he was half ready to piss himself when they approached and Daryl couldn’t help himself. He reached out and slapped Punch’s shoulder in much the same way he’d done earlier that day. Neither of them expected the booming voice of Negan to roll across the camp.

“GARY! YOU COME ON DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW, SON!”

Everyone in the camp froze. Negan very rarely raised his voice; he didn’t have to. The man radiated dominance and confidence with every step he took across the yard. If his eye happened across yours for some reason, it made you stiffen up and work that much harder at whatever it was you were supposed to be doing. He wasn’t unfair and he certainly didn’t treat his group abusively. He was more benevolent dictatorship than authoritarian asshole. In many ways, he reminded Daryl of Rick. Except he had the balls to go after his people when they went missing. And he was always very clear of who and what was expected. Never going after children, never going after women when it could be helped. There was a code and it was one that Daryl could almost respect.

Gary came down to the clearing with his shoulders hunched and his eyes skirting around everywhere BUT at Negan.

“Sir?”

“Now Gary. I’d like for you to tell me, in your own words if you please, exactly what it is that happened today when I sent you out for our tribute from that place on the river.” Negan spoke as though he were communicating with a child.

“Nuth … nothin really. I mean, we did have some trouble when Punch attracted some walkers and Daryl used up all his bolts in takin’ them out instead of just leavin. I always remember you sayin the tribute is more important than one man, Sir. That’s all I was tryin to do. Get your tribute here so we could take care of our peoples.”

Negan moved in close. So close you could almost see him smelling Gary’s hair. The smile went from paternal to predatory in an instant and Lucille was swung up on his shoulder. You could hear the solid sound of wood settling on leather. 

“So that’s what you were doing, hmm? You weren’t trying to abandon 2 men because you were pissing yourself afraid? You sure it was Punch that drew those walkers, Gary? See, the way I hear it … those walkers were left as a trap. And if it weren’t for Daryl being the paranoid son-of-a-bitch he is, we’d have lost Punch and had one more walker on our hands.”

Daryl was stunned. He knew what he’d done but he had no way of knowing Punch had spoken so highly of him to Negan of all people. He cast a side glance and Punch shrugged in a “I told the truth, buddy” way. Daryl couldn’t place the feeling it put into his chest so he just ignored it for later. He refocused his attention on Gary and Negan.

“Now. Seeing as it was Punch and Daryl that you decided you were gonna leave behind, I figure they should have some say in how you’re punished Gary. Seems only fair, doesn’t it?”

At this point, Daryl is pretty sure Gary would agree to anything that doesn’t involve Lucille. He’s visibly sweating, his hands are shaking and if his knees knocked together any harder, they’d probably have problems with walkers finding their encampment. Negan hefted Lucille and pointed the business end towards Punch. Daryl knew from experience that even as casual as that action was, it was still shit-yourself-terrifying to stare down the barb-wire beauty.

“What do you think, Punch? Gary here disrespected you and tried to abandon you. Hell, he wasn’t even lookin out for you like I’d trusted him to do. How would you deal with this transgression?”

Punch swallowed hard and he looked from Negan to Gary and then to Daryl before looking back at Negan. His voice was barely a whisper … Shit this kid was terrified.

“I uhh. I mean … I’m no … no … not sur … sure, Sir.”

Negan looked actively disappointed and Lucille seemed to wilt down towards the ground as though SHE were disappointed as well. A disappointed Lucille was a dangerous thing. A moment later, she was back up and pointing at Daryl. He was gripped by a flashback of his first meeting with Negan. Except he’d been on his knees and he’d watched her destroy 2 men he’d considered brothers. 

“And what about you, Daryl? What do YOU think should happen to poor Gary here? Or are you not sure either?”

Daryl cleared his throat and met Negan’s eyes, dead on. 

“Gary should run point for a few months. Let him work the walker fields around the camp and scout new routes to existing tribute camps. Might help him get over being so terrified … or they’ll get him and he won’t be our problem again.”

Negan’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. He hadn’t expected Daryl to be so ruthless nor helpful, apparently. There was a warm spark in his eye, something Daryl hadn’t seen before and his smile turned from predatory to something closer to warmth for just a moment. Then his attention turned and Lucille was pointing at Gary again.

“You’ll be wanting to thank Mr. Dixon, Gary. He may have just saved your life. I think his suggestion has merit and can teach you a valuable lesson.” Silence followed as Negan looked at Gary, as though waiting for him to say something.

It took a minute but eventually Gary half whispered out a less than enthusiastic “Thanks Daryl”. The next minute, he was howling in pain on the ground as Lucille swung from Negan’s shoulder to Gary’s thigh. The barb wire clung to his jeans as it ripped free of the flesh and there was the sound of bone cracking. Daryl had to physically work at keeping still from the fresh memory that sound rang in his head. Abraham, bleeding as his skull cracked, telling Negan to “Suck my nuts!” … Glen, his head caved in as he tried desperately to say something to Maggie. He clenched his fist until the white hot pinpricks made crescent marks on his palms. He’d been responsible for Glen’s death and he knew it. No matter how much he tried not to blame himself, deep down he knew that’s why Rick’s people hadn’t come for him. He’d killed their heart. He was brought back to the present by the sound of Negan speaking to Gary, over the sound of his screaming. 

“I believe I told you to thank Mr. Dixon. I don’t believe you’ve earned the right to use his given name Gary. You disrespected him by wanting to leave him behind and he was gracious enough to spare your life. I’d think that would earn something a little better than petulant sarcasm, wouldn’t you Daryl?”

The inflection was clear. Apparently he’d been raised up in Negan’s eyes. Now he was “Mr. Dixon” to others but still “Daryl” to Negan. He wasn’t sure how he felt about it but again, his Daddy didn’t raise an asshole or a fool. 

“I’d think even an idjit would know what gratitude tasted like in his mouth. Cuz it sure as fuck don’t sound like sarcasm. Sometimes, a little assistance is required to help someone to ‘member their manners.”

In a glorious moment that would stand out in his mind for the rest of his days, Negan turned to Daryl and offered him the handle of Lucille. It was a moment of trust … a moment that Daryl had to decide where his loyalties were. He could hold the hatred in his heart for the Saviors, who’d taken him from Alexandria and the family he’d clung to in the beginnings of the end of the world or he could accept that sometimes, families change. 

Lucille felt warm in his grasp as he closed his fist on the hilt. He felt Negan’s eyes on him as he took a practice swing and adjusted his grip higher on the handle to accommodate for his balance. He nodded once and looked at Negan, as though waiting for him to give his blessing. Negan stepped aside and gestured with his hand towards the groaning man on the ground. “By all means, Daryl. This is yours.”

Daryl stood over him. He could smell the blood, thick and coppery in the air. He could see the devastation Lucille had wrought when Negan had swung her down against Gary’s thigh. It didn’t look all that different from the way his arm had looked when he was a kid and had tried sneaking onto some private property to go swimming with Juney-Lee Garvison. He crouched down low so he was eyeball to eyeball with Gary. The man was whimpering and almost trying to scoot away. Daryl reached out and dug his fingers into the ruined flesh from where Lucille had kissed the man, dragging him back.

“Y’know Gary. Mebbe better’n a year or so’s ago I was with this group. Now they wasn’t real nice guys and they sure as shit didn’t play well with others but they was good at teachin’ things. They was good at teachin you all about respect. One thing I picked up from them Gary is the concept of ownership. See, when you see somethin’ and you want it, you gotta take it. Do what’s called claimin’ it. And see Gary, that’s what I’m gonna do here. I’m gonna claim your respect for me and you’re gonna give it or so help me … I’ll make Lucille here the LEAST of your worries. You hearin’ me?”

Gary must have processed Daryl’s decision because he was stumbling over his own words not a half a breath later, apologizing to “Mr. Dixon, Sir” and swearin on everythin’ he’d ever owned that it would never happen again. He was cryin as he apologized and just before Lucille came up to Daryl’s shoulder, he distinctly heard “Claimed, bitch”

Lucille came down.

Daryl became Mr. Dixon.

Gary never really walked right after that.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah I thought this was a one shot. My muse thought otherwise

It took a while to get used to a new way of things. At first, he wasn’t sure what the change in attitude and title meant and he kept a wary eye out for everyone and everything. He continued doing his job, going on his collection runs and contributing to the community but he started to notice a change. It wasn’t much … as subtle as the breeze on a slow Georgia morning. Punch was more openly friendly … others started to warm up to him as well, sitting next to him while eating and having casual conversation. It seemed that he’d been accepted in some way and while he still thought of those he’d been with before, their faces and names started to fade (with effort on his part). 

One morning, damn near too early to be alive, he came awake with a start. There was a boy, no older than 13 if he’ have to guess and he was standing next to Daryl’s bunk. When he saw Daryl was awake, he put a pair of brand new boots on the bed.

“Mr. Negan said I’s s’posed ta give these to ya cuz ya old ones is more tape than leather anymore. Then I’s s’posed ta tell ya that Mr. Negan wants ta see ya once ya get ya ass outta tha bed.”

Daryl pushed his hair back out of his eyes and looked at the boy. The look on the kid’s face was half awe, half curiosity.

“Well, you go on and tell Negan I’ll be there once I get my drawers on.”

The kid nodded and wore a smile that could light up a room before he dashed out of the bunk and down the hall, quiet as a mouse. Daryl stretched on his bunk for a half a minute longer and swung his legs down onto the floor. Grabbin’ his pants and slippin’ on his shirt, he sat on the bunk and wouldn’t you know it? The fuckin boots were a perfect fit. It’d been so long since he’d had anything new he’d forgotten how good they could feel. 

But he never forgot the rule of getting’ something … ain’t nothin in this world free no more. There was a price on these boots an’ he figured Negan was gonna tell him what it was once he met up with him. Pullin on his leather vest and grabbin his crossbow and knife, he headed down the hall to go meet up with Negan at his cabin.

***

He’d never been inside the cabin so he wasn’t sure what he was walkin into. His eyes scanned the area around the cabin before he approached the door, expectin to knock but the door opened on it’s own and there stood Negan, smiling that big, white smile. He stepped to the side and Daryl took that as an invitation.

Inside the cabin wasn’t like anything Daryl expected. First, it was immaculately clean and neat which is not what one expects at the end of the world. Secondly … and this was the part that Daryl would later come to realize was the first time he’d admitted anything like this … it seemed to just FIT Negan. Military style order but with enough creature comforts to make it seem like more than just a base of operation. He took a minute to look around, noticing Lucille resting to the side of the door opposite where it opens. Which means Negan was taking a risk that Daryl wouldn’t notice her, grab the bat and beat him senseless. What freaked Daryl out more wasn’t that he thought of that but that he didn’t have the urge. The thought passed in much the same way he’d see a squirrel in a tree and remember hunting them. 

“Come on in, Daryl. Have a seat, I want to talk to you about somethin’ I got cookin.”

Daryl moved deeper into the room and rested his crossbow next to Lucille. He didn’t miss the way Negan’s eyes followed his motion. _So he trusts me but not all the way yet._

“What’d ya need me for?”

“Straight to the point, that’s what I like about you Daryl. You are exactly what you look like. I’ve kept an eye on you since the incident with Gary and I have to say, I’m impressed with you. Lots of men given the opportunity to wield power like that would let it go to their heads. They’d try to take a more leadership role and boss people around more but you?” Here, Negan smiled that thousand-watt smile again. “You just keep doing exactly what you’ve been doing like you didn’t damn near cripple that man. Not askin for anything more or less than you’ve done before.”

Daryl was sitting in what fancy people used to call a parlor chair. It was soft and padded with a seat that dipped under your ass. He wasn’t sure he was entirely comfortable in it but he’d sat and he wasn’t about to get up and change chairs at this point. He continued listening to Negan talk, waiting for him to get to the point.

“I hear tell you’re a damn fine tracker. I think your talents maybe have been wasted on tribute runs so I’m thinkin I can use your tracking skills to find something for me.”

Daryl looked up at him through the curtain of his dark hair, curious as to what he’d be trackin’. He was used to people wantin that talent. Trackin was somethin’ he’ been doin’ since he was old enough to realize if he didn’t hunt, he wouldn’t eat.

“Yeah, I can track somethin’ for ya. What are ya lookin for? A someTHIN’ or a someONE?” Daryl wasn’t a fool. He knew Negan could be wantin either.

The full belly laugh that Negan let loose had Daryl jumping. He hadn’t expected it and while it was a good sound (one the world hadn’t had enough of since this shit started) it set him on alert. He hadn’t said nothin’ that funny.

“Well now Daryl, you’re showin your smarts there. Careful or I might start thinking I could use you in a lot of different ways. But for now, you’re correct that it’s a someONE I want tracked.”

Daryl didn’t miss the innuendo in Negan’s tone but he didn’t respond to it either. Daddy didn’t raise no fool and you don’t shit where you eat. You sure as hell don’t fuck where you might die neither.

“Tell me.”

Negan’s eyes narrowed slightly and he smirked, like he knew the punchline to a joke no one else knew yet. He got up from his chair and motioned Daryl to follow him (thank god, that chair might’a killed him another minute longer in it). He led Daryl to another room, deeper in the cabin and this one felt military. This one felt like a hunt room.

Negan pointed to a picture pinned to a board. “That there is Alison. Alison was with us for a while and we really thought she was gonna work out but then, well. Turns out the little bitch didn’t work out and when she left in the middle of the night, she took supplies that belong to me along with killin’ 2 of my guys. 

“Now I can respect someone who has the craftiness to take out 2 guys but she betrayed me, Daryl. I offered her shelter, a chance to be a part of something and she spit in my face. So what I want is I want you to track her, Daryl. I want you to find her. If she’s a walker, bring me her head. If she’s alive, keep her that way. She’s gonna work to earn what she stole an she’s gonna pay for killin those 2 men.”

Here Negan turned those dark eyes on Daryl and it felt like he was looking into Daryl’s soul. For his part, Daryl held his gaze because this was another trust exercise. If Negan found him lacking, he’d be back to doing shit work. Whatever he saw, Negan must’ve liked it because he nodded and clapped Daryl’s shoulder while giving him that half blinding smirk.

“You take what supplies you need, Daryl. You bring that bitch back, one way or another.”

Daryl nodded and turned towards the front of the cabin, intending to grab his crossbow and start his hunt. He was barely 3 steps away and he heard Negan, clear as a bell even though it was whispered.

“I’m glad you took my boots.”

Daryl didn’t feel that sizzle in his gut from the very dark and unmistakable tone in Negan’s voice.

… and he sure as fuck didn’t jack off once he was deep in the woods and on his way to finding Alison.


	3. Chapter 3

Daryl made a stop at the ammunition RV to get more bolts for his crossbow and a stop by the food truck to get some easy on-the-job food that he could carry on him. If he was out there long enough, he could hunt to feed himself. He’d seen rabbit tracks recently that promised easy hunting. 

Turns out, finding Alison was easier than it probably shoulda been. Girl could kill 2 guys that were barely payin attention to their guarding apparently but couldn’t hide her tracks for shit. Daryl had her trail in less than an hour and was starin her in the face 3 hours later. The one smart thing she’d done was gone up into a tree to get a nap after runnin all night. One bolt from Daryl’s crossbow half an inch from her head convinced her to come down and talk.

“Look, I get it ok? I shouldn’t have run and I sure as shit shouldn’t have taken anything with me but come ON, Mr. Dixon! The guy’s a fucking psycho! You should know that better than anyone else … look at what he did to your people!” 

Daryl was realizing pretty quickly that he almost wished she were a walker. Her voice reminded him of sheet metal being scrapped, all tin and screech. She was nearish to 20 if she was a day but he could tell she’d come from somewhere with money and privilege. If you didn’t like something, you could just return it and get something else. Girl probably never knew hard before the world went to shit. 

“What you shoulda learnt is that sometimes you end up where you should be and you either accept that or you die. World ain’t got no more fancy choices, girl. Where’s them supplies you took with you?”

She looked at him, absolute shock written in her light brown eyes. She silently pointed to a hollowed out stump of a tree and Daryl went over, taking the backpack that seemed heavily laden with supplies. He turned an eye on her and she was still standing there, like a deer waiting for the killshot.

“C’mon. We’re goin back.”

“Jesus no! You have your supplies and you can take those back but I’m not going anywhere near that sociopath again. I’ll take my chances with the walkers!”

“Remember what I said about fancy choices? Either you start walkin’ or I put a bolt in you and you walk with a bolt in your shoulder. Which is it?” Daryl had a twinge of something in his gut. A twinge of guilt he supposed … this wasn’t who he was supposed to be. He was supposed to be the one that helped her out, brought her to Alexandria and introduced her to Magg … He shook his head violently to dislodge the thought. Adapt and survive, Mr. Dixon.

The girl made up her mind while he was remembering Alexandria. She took off running in the opposite direction and Daryl raised his crossbow. He could let her go, claim he couldn’t find her. But his feet were warm and comfortable in these new boots and no one was beating him and he sure as fuck wasn’t starving. People weren’t lookin at him half the time like he was some kind of stray dog that came wandering into the house. The bolt flew and Alison went down, screaming.

He was on her in a second, hand covering her mouth to stifle the noise. 

“You tryin to get them to find you, girl? You wanna be walker’s hot lunch? Jesus fuck but ain’t you stupid.”

He hauled her up to her feet, his bolt sitting right in the joint of her shoulder. Not fatal by any means and easily treatable once they got back to camp. He used a strip of his own t-shirt to tie her hands together behind her back (and didn’t that do wonders for the already sharp ache in her bolt-laden shoulder) and he used that as leverage to push her along in front of him, her stolen backpack over his shoulder. 

The thing about Alison was she talked. A lot. And she spent the first 30 minutes crying about her shoulder. Then the next 30 minutes begging and arguing about why she never wanted to go back. When Daryl tore another hunk of his t-shirt off and used it to gag her, he felt it was a measure of safety. Her talking would attract walkers … had nothing to do with what she was saying, reminding him of who Daryl Dixon had been with his first Apocalyptic Family. 

By the time they got back to camp, he’d managed to dislodge the names of the Alexandrians from his head once again and he pushed Alison ahead of him through the camp, heading towards Negan’s cabin. He heard a few people offer their congratulations, others thanking him. A few just nodded and Daryl couldn’t tell if that was respect he saw in their eyes … it wasn’t something he was used to seeing.

Just as before, when he approached the cabin door, it opened before he could decide if he had to knock and he pushed Alison through the doorway, putting his crossbow down next to Lucille once again. Negan’s eyes didn’t follow the motion this time. Which Daryl would have found interesting if he’d noticed. 

“Aw Daryl, I have to say you exceed my expectations. Here I was thinking I was going to have to go days without seeing you and here you are, not even a whole day gone by. And with my prize not only intact but tied up so pretty in … what is that? Is that your shirt, Daryl?” 

Negan’s eyes flickered over to where Daryl was standing, arms crossed over his chest. Anyone could clearly see his shirt had been sacrificed for something. And it was the same material as what was in Alison’s mouth. Negan’s eyes sparked with that look again as he took in the exposed abs of his tracking genius. That was something Daryl DID notice but chose to ignore once again. Things were good. He wasn’t about to fuck it up by letting himself imagine shit that wasn’t there.

“Now I’d bet that bolt in your shoulder probably hurts like a bitch, don’t it Alison? I mean, my man Daryl does have such incredible aim. I do have to wonder though … why did you have to shoot her?” Negan turned his dark eyes to Daryl again.

“Found her sleepin up in a tree. Girl can’t hide her trail for shit and it was pretty easy to follow. I put a bolt near her head to wake her up an’ bring her down. Tol’ her she’d be comin back with the supplies she took. Tol’ me where the supplies was easy enough but wouldn’t stop yammerin about not wantin to come back here. I tol’ her she had a choice. Either she was walkin back with me or she was walkin back with me with a bolt in her.”

Daryl shrugged and continued. “I went to get the backpack, she tried to run. What kinda man am I if I don’t keep m’ word? So I shot her, nice and clean. Used my shirt to tie her hands so she wouldn’t run again and when she wouldn’t stop talkin loud enough fo’ ev’ry walker in the whole state of Georgia ta hear, I gagged her.”

“Improvisational skills A plus, Daryl. I knew you were the man for the job. How much is she gonna scream when that bolt comes out, do you think?”

Daryl shrugged again, mostly to cover the lump in his throat at the gleam of sadistic joy Negan’s eyes carried when he talked about it.

“She’s already a screamer, Sir. I’d say pretty loud. Might wanna leave that gag in place or she’s likely ta blow ya ear drums out.”

“Oh now I think we’ve both figured out by now we’re well past “Sir”. You just go on and call me Negan. It’s easier in certain circumstances.

“Speakin of those circumstances,” he turned his head back to Alison, who was now openly crying and making little whimpering noises, “Daryl here has a good point. I have no desire at all to have my ear drums blown out. But we do have to talk about your indiscretion, Alison. We housed you, fed you and gave you a chance at a life. You thanked me by stealing and murdering? That doesn’t seem like a very grateful thing you did.”

Here Negan stepped away from Alison and walked over by the door, hefting Lucille to his shoulder. Once again Daryl heard the solid thump of the wood resting against Negan’s shoulder, minus the leather this time. It was just a plain white t-shirt that showed off his lean physique. Daryl had a moment to wonder at how Negan managed a pristine white t-shirt before he shook his head and came back to the present.

“Now Alison, I’m sure you’re familiar with my Lucille here. You’ve seen what she can do and how very GOOD she is at doing it. And really, it doesn’t matter if myself or Mr. Dixon over there wield it, as poor Gary can attest once he gets back from clearin the walker fields.

“Lucille gets awful thirsty when it’s been a while since she’s had time to play. And I’m thinkin maybe I need to make an example of you, Alison. I’m thinkin that the whole camp needs to see what happens when you steal from me. What do you think, Daryl?”

Daryl came over and walked around Alison’s terrified frame once before stopping to stand in front of her, arms still crossed over his chest.

“Could do with makin an example, sure. But killin her seems like yer lettin’ her off too easy. You can only die once, right? Well … twice if you fuck it up the first time but you don’t realize the second time so much.” Negan let out another of those full belly laughs, his hand coming to rest warmly on Daryl’s shoulder. It remained there, even after he’d stopped laughing.

“She’s a pretty girl. And I’ve heard a few guys complain every now and again while we’re out on runs that Sister Mary and her 5 daughters ain’t really getting the job done no more, you know? Seems to me, since she took from the camp, she should have the chance to give back to the camp. She killed 2 guys … should maybe let 2 guys you find most deservin’ have her for a bit.”

Negan turned his face over to Daryl and stared into his eyes again. The delight in his face was evident but so was the impressed awe. He gave Daryl’s shoulder another squeeze. “There’s those smarts again, Daryl. I do like how your mind works for the betterment of our little community. Makes me wonder what other wonders there are.”

There was no mistaking that smolder in Negan’s eyes, nor the seductive little smirk at the corner of his lips. Daryl took a moment, just as he’d taken when he’d first been offered Lucille. He could accept the desire, work with it and maybe make life a little more bearable or he could play dumb and see if the better assignments kept coming. In his gut, he knew the answer long before he tilted his head and purposefully licked his bottom lip while staring Negan in the eye.

Negan let out another dark little laugh before turning and opening the cabin doors.

“Charlie!”

2 minutes later, the kid that had woken Daryl up that morning was standing on the porch looking up at Negan like he was the guy who hung the moon.

“Charlie I want you to go find Doc Summers and tell him I’d like him to make his way over pronto. Then I want you to find me Big Justin and Kevin Luce. Have them take a swing by as well.”

Daryl was watching Alison. She was rigid with fear and her eyes were wild as they danced around the room. There was no escape, she could only hope for death or insanity. Daryl slid a little closer and conversationally mentioned, “I done told you what fancy choices will always getcha.” 

Negan turned, his head tilted quizzically as Alison began to scream behind her gag. “Shut that bitch up, would ya?”

Daryl shrugged, cocked back his fist and knocked her out with a hit to the temple. (This was among the list of things that would never be acceptable to that guy in Alexandria and Daryl could feel the slip as his name didn’t even register)

“What were you saying about fancy choices there Daryl?” Suddenly Negan was in his personal space. It wasn’t an accident, he wasn’t just passing by; he was intentionally standing directly in Daryl’s personal space.

“When we was out there and I first got her down, she was talkin about how I shoulda know better’n anyone about why she’d be wantin to run. I pointed out to her that the world don’t have no fancy choices no more and you always wind up where you was supposed to be. Or you wind up dead.” Daryl raised his eyes as he spoke, looking Negan directly in the eye as he almost whispered his answer, like a lover in bed.

Negan’s voice was just as low, the seduction between them starting to burn a little hotter. “And what about you, Daryl? Do you think fancy choices got you where you were supposed to be?”

Daryl smiled, the first time he’d done so in a while as he leaned close enough to whisper in Negan’s ear.

“I think I got myself exactly where I was always supposed to be. Just took me a while to get here’s all.” He breathed in, taking in the scent of leather and blood before taking a step back. 

“I need ta get me a new shirt and you got ta deal with the Doc an’ your prize winners. I’ll see myself out.”

Daryl turned and walked out the front door of the cabin, grabbing his crossbow on the way out and that smile was still on his face. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to preemptively apologize here. Some of you are familiar with Albert, some of you this may be a first introduction.  
> Albert is my muse.   
> Albert is sometimes a bit of a prick.  
> I had EVERY intention of giving you the smut you deserved for this chapter. I could see it in my head and I was positively GLEEFUL to be writing Daryl/Negan smut.   
> Then Albert happened.   
> Albert decided that we needed "feelings" and a "ritual cleansing" before we could have smut.   
> I'm so sorry.

Daryl got all the way to his bunk before he collapsed. “Fuck, I’m in over my head.”, he whispered to himself. That slow burn in Negan’s eyes had made his cock harder than it had ever been and there was a feelin in his belly that he wasn’t entirely familiar with. It wasn’t that he was a stranger to arousal by any means. The problem came with the execution of it. The sum total of Daryl Dixon’s intimate encounters totaled with 2 handjobs, 1 spectacularly awful blowjob and 2 nights with women that he couldn’t even picture because he was too embarrassed to admit he’d been unable to get the job done. The first time, he came before he was anywhere near bein inside of her and the second time, he’d gone soft inside of her the minute she said something that reminded him of his brother. After that, he stuck with masturbation (which may have included the occasional rub against his asshole but nothin ever went up in there). And here he’d all but signed up for somethin with Negan that he couldn’t even fuckin name. And just thinkin about it had his cock twitchin in his shorts again and it wasn’t stoppin. He wasn’t exactly in a place where he had privacy at all so here wasn’t a good time to have this fuckin problem. But Daryl Dixon was adaptable.

Grabbing his shower supplies, a change of clothes and a towel, he headed over to the bunker that housed the showers. Somehow they had been lucky enough at some point to have stumbled into an abandoned base of some kind and had someone in the group that was trained in how to work plumbing enough that they had an honest to God shower with hot water n’ everythin’. This time of day, the showers should be empty but even if they weren’t, they were in stalls and if the occasional grunt was heard, it was usually ignored. On his way TO the bunker, a few people stopped him to thank him for finding justice for those two guards and he didn’t know what to do with the looks on their faces; it was somethin’ like what he used to look at that guy from Alexandria with. Respect mixed with just a lil bit of fear of what was gonna happen next. He nodded his head and acknowledged their thanks, claimin’ ‘t’weren’t nothin’. Girl done took from us so I’m just glad we could get back what’s ours.” He was back to walking towards the showers when Charlie came up to him, smiling like a proud pup.

“Mr. Dixon, I found you! Mr. Negan tol’ me to come find you and you wasn’t in your bunk but I managed to track you down!”, the enthusiasm and pride in the kid’s voice was contagious and Daryl couldn’t help himself. 

Reachin out, he ruffled his hand through the kid’s hair. “Well you’re on your way to bein a great tracker someday, Charlie. Mebbe I can take you out one of these days and you can show me what you kin do to track rabbit.” Charlie looked up at him with a completely awestruck expression of absolute adoration. He managed to squeak out a thank you before Daryl continued. “Now did Mr. Negan say he wanted me right now or do you think I kin grab a shower first?”

“Mr. Negan wants you promptly, Daryl.”, that dark voice sounded from just to his left and he turned to see Negan standing on the cabin porch with his arms crossed over his chest and his legs crossed at the ankle. He looked just as casual as a man talkin to his neighbor on a slow Sunday mornin. Except maybe he had plans for that neighbor that included tongues, lube and someone grabbin onto the bed for their very life. And there’s that cock twitch again.

Daryl turned toward the cabin and took the steps 2 at a time until he was standing next to Negan, trying for bravado and to hide the slightly terrified ball in his stomach at what he was doin. Bein this close to the man, he was all Daryl could smell and the heat that came off his body was almost a tangible thing. “And what is it Mr. Negan might want from me?”

That slow smile came back in it’s full, brilliant white and the man’s dimples stood out on his cheeks. “Well, Mr. Negan has a shower that you are more than welcome to take advantage of, since it appears that’s where you were headin. A little more private than being in the bunker, should there be a need for it.” Negan’s eyes traveled up and down the length of Daryl’s body without any other part of him moving but Daryl could tell when he reached his crotch. The smile got a little more predatory and his eyes shot back up to Daryl’s. “Now I’m hopin that right there is somethin for me.”

Daryl took a hard breath for bravery and whispered into Negan’s ear. “Well, now it could be. Why don’t you show me where this shower of yours is and we go from there.” He had no fuckin clue what he was doin but Negan seemed to enjoy it. He pushed off the porch railing and walked back into the cabin, affording Daryl the opportunity to see him from behind. His shoulders were broad, sitting on top of a long, lean body that dipped in at the waist and led to …

“You comin, Daryl or did you change your mind about that shower?”, Negan’s voice interrupted his thoughts and Daryl hurried into the cabin, closing the door behind him. His eyes scanned the room to find Alison no longer in the cabin nor any evidence that she ever had been. Once again resting his eyes on Negan, he followed through to the stairs that led up to the second floor and down a hall to the end. Negan opened the door to a large bathroom with a shower that looked like it could accommodate two or three people easily. Daryl started to feel a bit like the rabbits in his traps probably felt. His heart was hammering in his chest and he slid past Negan into the bathroom, hand on the door like he was just waitin to close it. When he looked up at Negan, there was something else in his eyes. Something less predatory (well, for Negan anyway)

“Let’s be real clear here Daryl. I’m invitin you to shower in my guest bathroom because I’m guessin, with what I know about you, puttin you into the shower in MY bedroom might just be a step too far too quick. I ain’t gonna lie to you and tell you I’m not interested in fuckin you straight through to the first floor of this cabin while you’re screamin my name loud enough for every walker in Georgia to hear,” the smirk grew a little wider as Daryl felt his face go flush. “But I’m pretty sure I’d be among the first to ever have that particular pleasure so I’m willin to wait out my time for a bit. I ain’t waitin forever though … my patience does have it’s limits. I’ll be downstairs when you’re ready.”

Negan pulled the door closed as he walked down the hallway and Daryl listened to his footsteps. With shaking hands, he turned the shower to hot and stripped out of his dirty clothes. That was another thing he found he enjoyed about bein here; there was a washin done every day by a group of volunteers and since his arrival, he’d never had to go more than a day with dirty drawers or clothes that stunk with walker gut. Shit, he was better taken care of here by other people than he’d ever been his whole life, and that included his time with that other group. Sure, they’d come together and they’d lived with one another but in the end, they’d chosen their sides hadn’t they? Once again, Daryl Dixon was a throwaway to someone. 

He stepped under the spray of water and almost yelped out loud. Apparently Negan had done somethin to his particular plumbing because the water coming out of the showerhead was hot enough to burn away sin from your soul. It took a minute but Daryl found that once you were used to it, the feeling was better than anything he’d ever had in his life. He could feel himself washing away layers of grime that had been on him for years, washing away some of his guilt over what happened with those other men, rinsing his feelings for the little blonde that had died in that hospital out of his hair and when he emerged from that boiling hot shower, his skin was red but his soul was clean. His nerves were still frayed at the edges for what was going to happen when he went downstairs but there was no other guilt pressing down on him. He was his own man, making his own way and that included making the decision to choose Negan, along with everything that entailed. He brushed his teeth, swept his hair back and put his clothes on. He hesitated when he reached for the vest. He’d been wearin it for a long while, hopin the wings on the back would bring him some kind of salvation. Maybe, in a way, they had finally. They’d brought him here. 

When Daryl came downstairs, he was carryin his dirty clothes balled up around his vest. He didn’t need it anymore. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's all smut. Albert was a good boy.

Daryl kept one eye on Negan as he came down the steps but he appeared to be relaxing, almost casually sitting at his kitchen table looking at papers with what smelled like coffee in a mug in front of him. When Daryl came to the last step, Negan finally looked up and pointed his chin towards a small doorway beneath the steps.

“You can put those clothes there. They’ll get picked up later today with mine.”

Daryl shouldn’t have been surprised that Negan’s clothes were picked up. He was a little surprised at how casual the man seemed to be with Daryl’s clothes appearing with his own but then again, laundry was washed in bulk and separated later.

“Come take a look at this, Daryl. I’d like your opinion. Feel free to take a cup.” Negan pointed to a coffeepot, which Daryl gratefully accepted. He was still jumpy and this casual attitude of Negan’s wasn’t helping any. Upstairs he’d all but said he planned on fucking Daryl senseless and now, he’s downstairs and they’re drinking coffee and looking at maps like it’s an every day thing? He poured his mug and made his way over to where Negan was seated, looking over his shoulder at maps that had been laid out and what Daryl assumed were tribute camps marked in red. 

Negan reached out, as though he’d done it every day of his life, and pulled Daryl right up next to his body, possessively wrapping his arm around Daryl’s hips. 

“Now this is one of our monthly tribute maps. Shows the routes that have been marked safest and this,” Negan reached across the table to pick up another paper. “is a list of all available runners to go pick up the tributes. It’s about time to review who is on which team and if they are effective. Look at your route and who I have there, tell me what you think of it.”

Negan’s arm remained around Daryl’s hips, which was a distraction at first but Daryl looked at what was in front of him critically and soon forgot about the arm. He was aware this was a test but it was also giving him time to put off the inevitable. And, despite everything, it made him feel good. Someone was asking his opinion on something that was valuable and important to the survival of the group. He looked at the route and the list of names, thinking about what he knew about the people.

“Punch is good and he works real well with pretty much anyone. Once he gets a little older, he’ll do good to lead a team of his own but he ain’t there yet so I’d put him gatherin, ‘stead of leadin the whole team. Billy and George, you don’t want them workin together. I’d leave George on this team and move Billy somewhere else or you won’t get shit done, those two got eyes for each other too much and not enough on what’s around ‘em half the time. Take Ellie from wherever you’ve got her and put her on this collection, she’s good and handy with a knife, I like her at my back. Felix will be a good addition there, he has good senses and he’s funny as fuck when you’re out for a while, keeps people laughin and in a good mood. Danny and Lou are good for muscle and maybe we can start bringin’ a couple of the youngins out, start teachin them about the routes. I don’t know about the other tribute runs you have but this one’s pretty easy goin and would be a good learnin experience.”

Once Daryl finished talking, he realized that Negan’s hand had gone from his waist down to his ass and he had his hand palm open across both cheeks. 

“You know, I have to say Daryl. You impress me more and more every time I ask you something. You’re not just thinking of the now but you’re thinkin about the future and how we get our group to survive. Because that’s what you do, isn’t it? You survive.”

“You either survive or you die in this worl’. And that was true even b’fore it all went to shit. Jus’ so happens some people learned that lesson in time to be here now.”

Negan’s hand came slithering around the front of Daryl’s jeans and his open palm groped Daryl’s half-hard cock, which suddenly went straight to rock hard the minute Negan’s hand touched him. That smirk was back on his face when he looked up at Daryl and there was no mistaking the look he gave. He purposefully sucked his bottom lip between those too-white teeth as he used both hands to turn Daryl so he was facing him.

“And how do you feel about doing more than just surviving, Daryl? What about living?”, his voice was low and dark. It sent a shiver through Daryl’s whole body that he couldn’t hide.

“Ain’t never had no chance to do more than jus survive. Wouldn’t know what the diff’rence is. There’s survival or death, hunt or starve. Ain’t much else.”

“Oh I beg to differ, Daryl. There’s a whole world of living that you haven’t ever touched, but I can show it to you. There’s reward and punishment, somethin you’ve already shown me you’re familiar with. Well, the punishment part anyway. And my two boys that took Alison did ask me to pass along their thanks for the reward. So let’s see about giving you a reward that fits all you’ve done in the last 24 hours alone.”

Daryl was so mesmerized by watching Negan’s mouth moving while he talked, he didn’t register that he’d been busy unbuttoning his jeans and was about to tug them down Daryl’s legs. Panic set in and Daryl grabbed his pants, holding them up by the belt loops. Negan cocked an eyebrow up at Daryl.

“Don’t want a reward?”

“I uh … I mean I’ve, yanno … once. But that’s not it.” Daryl was half ashamed to admit what the real reason he wanted to keep his pants up was. The thought choked in his mouth and he had to turn his head and take a deep breath.

“You’ve gotta give me more than that, Daryl. I told you what my intent was upstairs and that ain’t changed. This here? This is a reward for showin loyalty and for thinking of our survival as a whole. You could have told me that group I put together was fine and let the run go to shit. You could have kept quiet about training some of the older kids because, I’ll be honest with ya, I hadn’t thought that far ahead yet. So it’s not that you don’t want me to touch you and it can’t be that you’ve only ever had one person put your dick in their mouth so … what is it?” Negan pushed, but held his hands still on the material of Daryl’s jeans. 

Daryl swallowed hard again before he turned his head back towards Negan. He met his eyes and saw the desire there. In the great scheme of things, it probably wouldn’t matter to him but to Daryl, it was something sacred he held just to himself. And made sure it could never be used against him. But then again, Negan could use damn near anything against him because he was the one holding all the power. One deep breath and Daryl let go of the belt loops.

“Ain’t everyone in this worl’ done had that good childhood you see on TV. Sometimes, you get the shit drunk for a father who has good aim.” Daryl purposefully averted his face to avoid seeing the look of disgust he knew would be on Negan’s face. He’d probably still suck his dick and they’d probably still fuck but now Negan would know what Daryl was always careful to protect. Hell he’d probably fucked uglier and worse off than Daryl. He felt his jeans go slidin down his legs but he didn’t hear Negan say anythin … didn’t make a noise at all even though now it was all on display.

Clearly standing up from each thigh was the permanent branding his father had applied to his thigh when he caught him stealin cigarettes from a local store. The Marlboro steer was clear, although only the “rlbo” portion of the name had taken due to the curve of his thigh. He remembered vividly his father using his leather belt on those welts every day for a month, ensuring they blistered and bled. An assortment of white lines from being whipped with whatever was handy curled around each leg and other scars marred his leg from hip to ankle. What Negan couldn’t see were the marks along the backs of his legs, the pock marks from where he’d had to pick busted glass out of his legs after his father’d thrown empty  ‘shine bottles at him. And he couldn’t see the whip marks on his back either. But at this point, did it matter? Eventually he’d see everything.

Negan hadn’t said anything while he ran his hands over the welts but when he put his hands over them, covering them from view he looked up at Daryl. “Hey, look at me.”

Daryl turned his head, looking Negan in the eye, almost a challenge to say something about the marks. Negan snorted a laugh.

“I underestimated your capacity for survival. He dead before or after?”

Daryl shrugged. “No idea. Prolly dead by now, or a rotting walker somewhere. He was drinkin himself to death when I took off for the last time but you know what they say about cockroaches.”

Negan let out another of those full laughs at the dry remark as his hands slid up from the brands to Daryl’s hips, pulling him that much closer. “Why yes I do. I’ve known a few of em in my day. But right now, this is about rewards … maybe a few that are due to you for shit you’ve done before you ever met me but never were properly thanked for.”

Negan tipped his head down, taking Daryl’s cockhead between his lips and Daryl had a terrifying moment when he thought Negan would bite down with those too perfect teeth but instead, found himself being sucked into the smoothest, wettest hole he’d ever been inside of. Even the first 5 seconds showed him this was going to be better than the last time someone went down on him (coincidentally it had also been Juney-Lee Garvison but not the same day as when he’d torn his arm to shit on the barb wire). Negan continued to suck until half Daryl’s cock was in his mouth and he used his tongue to do something that made Daryl’s brain completely shut down. He had to reach out and put his hand on the table to hold himself up, even with Negan using both hands on his hips to steady him. His tongue continued to swirl and lap, even with half Daryl’s cock in his mouth and the sensation had Daryl’s balls tightening up for a quickly embarrassing explosion. 

Just when he thought he was going to lose control, Negan wrapped his hand around the base of Daryl’s cock and squeezed so tight it wasn’t possible for Daryl to cum. He let his cock out of his mouth and looked up. “It’s a reward but you still get it on my terms, not yours. I ain’t near done with you.”

That voice was going to be the end of Daryl Dixon, he knew that as sure as he knew his own name. It went straight through to the center of his brain and rattled around until it found it’s proper place, settling in as Daryl’s inner monologue. Negan smirked before closing his mouth around Daryl’s entire length and sucking him straight down into what felt like his throat. Daryl groaned out loud, he couldn’t stop it because that felt so fuckin’ amazing. If this was his reward for jus’ knowing which people worked best with which people, he’d interview every fuckin Savior in the camp til he knew ‘em better’n he knew his own brother. His hips were pumping back and forth, Negan directing it by pushing and pulling on Daryl’s body. Every time Daryl tried to move his hips, Negan would squeezes his hips hard enough to make him wince and would stop doing … whatever that was with his tongue. Eventually he got the hint and just hung onto the table for dear life. 

Several times, when he’d get close to erupting, Negan would once again grab his dick in that tight grasp that prevented it and by the 5th time he’d done it, Daryl was near to sobbing with want. He’d never had a blowjob this good and he’d never had a sexual encounter that lasted this long. Negan, every time Daryl looked down into those dark eyes, had that sadistic little glint in his eye and the one time he scraped those pearly whites across Daryl’s cock, he couldn’t stop the shiver of fear that lanced through his body. And Negan noticed it and smirked as he sucked Daryl down to the base and held him there for a moment before hollowing out his cheeks and sucking backwards. This time, Daryl couldn’t have stopped the cry that erupted from his throat even if he were surrounded by walkers. He dug his fingers so hard into the table, he was convinced he’d scratched through the finish to the bare wood and his knees buckled. Negan caught him, wrapping one arm around his thighs until he was steady enough to stand on his own.

A moment later, Daryl felt something at his mouth. Almost on autopilot, he opened his lips and felt Negan push a finger into his mouth. Daryl had no idea what to do but he closed his lips around it and got the general idea when the strokes of his cock in and out of Negan’s mouth started to match the strokes of his finger in and out of his mouth. Adapt and Survive. Daryl started mimicking what Negan was doing to his cock with his own mouth; bobbing his head, using his tongue and sucking until his finger hit the gag reflex at the back of his mouth. He choked, coughing hard and he heard Negan chuckle around his cock. The vibration had him on the edge again, which Negan clamped down on once more. When he took his finger out of Daryl’s mouth, it felt almost like a loss … until he felt it pressing up behind him and swirling against his virgin hole. By instinct, he clenched his cheeks together tight; by force, Negan scraped his teeth a little harder against Daryl’s cock until he got the message. 

In his head, Daryl started going through the motions of setting a rabbit snare. It was something he could do by muscle memory but he found that by thinking about something so easy, his body relaxed and soon enough, he felt that finger pressing against his hole. Not breeching him but just a little pressure, like what he’d done to himself a few times while he was jerking off. It felt even better to have someone else doing it, spreading his spit all around the hole while sucking a little harder, moving his head a little faster. Daryl could feel that edge coming closer … he could feel his balls so tight and blue at this point, he thought they’d always be that way. He fully expected Negan to pull his mouth away and clench his fist around the base again but instead, Negan slid his finger up into Daryl’s ass and pressed his finger against something that had Daryl seeing nothing but black as the most explosive orgasm he’d ever had literally made his body seize up.

Daryl Dixon was unconscious on the floor at Negan’s feet exactly 12 seconds later. He never heard Negan’s full bellied laugh. And he certainly didn’t see the calculating look in his eyes either.


	6. Chapter 6

Wakin up on the floor of the cabin, Negan leanin over him and grinnin like a Cheshire cat had Daryl scramblin backwards and lookin for any kind of weapon he could use before his brain actually engaged with where he was. Once his brain did kick in, he was flooded with the memory of what Negan had just done for him and Daryl Dixon blushed for the first time ever in his life. He couldn’t quite look Negan in the eye so he turned his back as he yanked his pants up. He forgot about the scars on the backs of his legs but once he realized it, he figured Negan had already seen the front, seein the rest wasn’t gonna change nothin. 

He turned around again, unsure of what he should do. He’d just had a blowjob (the second of his entire life) that made him lose consciousness. He looked at the list on the table, the edges of Negan’s fingers covering the pages. His ass was sore but the memory of how good that orgasm had felt overcame any complaint he may have had. The silence between them was getting awkward but Daryl was busy processing what had happened and what his reaction should be. Negan, thankfully, made the decision for him.

“Why don’t you take some time and figure out which of the older kids you want to bring with you on your next run. I also heard you talkin to Charlie about takin him out and teachin him somethin about trackin rabbit? Might not be a bad idea for you to work with him, see if he can learn a thing or two. Make sure our future is solid here in the camp.”

Daryl nodded and went to turn away before Negan caught his wrist and pulled him back between his spread thighs. With his other hand, he tipped Daryl’s chin so he had no choice but to look Negan in the eye. “I want you to know, Daryl. Our beginnin wasn’t the best but you’re a real asset here to our group and I want you to know how much I appreciate everythin’ you’ve been doing. Now I know your start in life was shit and I wish I had that bastard here for you to take Lucille to his skull but all I can do is tell you that what you learned because of that asshole has helped our entire community. And that’s the kinda thing you should be proud of.”

Daryl didn’t know what to do with such praise. No-one, not even that group from before, had ever openly praised him like this. He held Negan’s eyes, waiting for the cutting remark or the sarcastic laugh that would wipe away what he’d just said but all he saw was absolute certainty in the man’s dark gaze. Daryl shuffled a bit, tossed his hair back from his eyes and nodded slightly. “Ain’t nothin’. Gotta earn, gotta take care of where I am, appreciate what you’ve got here and how I can contribute to it.” When in doubt, downplay was Daryl’s knee-jerk reaction.

Negan smiled that thousand-watt smile again. “And like you said earlier, you are exactly where you’re supposed to be.” He pulled Daryl down using his wrist and wrapped his other hand behind Daryl’s head, bringing their lips together. He pushed his tongue against Daryl’s lips and slid past into his mouth as soon as Daryl opened them. The taste of his own cum flooded Daryl’s mouth and he went to pull back from it but Negan held his head still and used a grip on his hair to maneuver his head where Negan wanted it. Daryl hesitantly began kissing Negan back, completely lost in what to do but mimicking Negan’s own actions. He sucked Negan’s lower lip between his teeth and nibbled, sucked his tongue against his teeth. He leaned closer, his arms coming up to rest against Negan’s shoulders to hold his balance and something hot coiled in his gut. His cock was spent but tried to twitch. All too soon, Negan broke the kiss but continued to hold Daryl by the hair, looking him right in the eye.

“Don’t you ever forget what I’m gonna do to you, Daryl. Don’t you ever forget my appreciation for what you do. You’re important for the future of our group. You’re important to me.”

Daryl was shell-shocked by the raw emotion in Negan’s eyes. There was honesty, a hesitancy and a desire all curled up in that look and it melted Daryl down to his bare bones. He started to let his wall down a little and he managed a small, authentic smile.

“I won’t forget nothin’. Ever.”

Negan ran his hands through Daryl’s hair again and scoffed a bit. “You should get this cut. There’s nothin for you to hide here from me, Daryl. I want to see all of you.”

Daryl blanched a little and Negan saw it. He smiled brilliantly once again. “It’s up to you, babe. You can cut it or leave it, either way. I just want you to know you have that opportunity here.” He let go of Daryl’s hair so he wouldn’t feel trapped and leaned back in his chair. Daryl straightened up, pushing his hands through his hair back away from his face. 

“Yeah maybe. It’s gettin a little long, even fer me. Might start affectin how I shoot.”

“You come back here tomorrow, Daryl. You have an eye for organizing people and getting a feel for who is good at what. I could use a man like you at my side.” Negan’s intent was as subtle as a sledgehammer and Daryl knew he wasn’t just talking about the supply runs. 

“I’ll be here in the mornin’. We ain’t leavin for collection til th’afternoon anyways.”

“I’ll put coffee on.”

Daryl left the cabin, not even thinking that he’d left his shower supplies upstairs in the cabin.

***

The next morning, Daryl was awake before the sun had even hinted at the sky. He got dressed quietly and made his way outside to breathe in the cool night air; walking the perimeter of the camp and keeping an eye out for the most recent set of rabbit prints. If he was gonna teach Charlie to track, he’d have to figure out a morning the kid would come out nice and early. That thought got him started on which of the older kids would make good additions to the tribute runs. He knew he didn’t want more than 2 at a time because it would be harder to keep an eye on them and keep the group safe but he thought about 2 kids in particular that seemed good. Patrick and Ashley were cousins but they were almost inseparable. They’d both lost their parents at one point so they clung to each other and were good already about watching each other’s backs. They were experienced in keeping an eye out for walkers and Ashley was a dead-on shot with a .45. He hadn’t realized that he’d walked all around the camp and was in front of the cabin until he heard the door open.

He looked up to the open cabin door, like an invitation. Negan must have gone back inside. Daryl walked up the steps and turned into the cabin, resting his crossbow with Lucille before looking around for Negan. What he saw made his mouth go dry; Negan was standing in the kitchen preparing a pot of coffee just as naked as the day he was born. He had his profile to Daryl so all he could make out was the naked flesh of his legs, torso and arms. Oh, and the cock hanging between his legs that was almost pulsing. Daryl didn’t dare look at it for too long, choosing instead to clear his throat and walk into the kitchen like it wasn’t a big deal. He missed Negan’s quiet little smirk.

“Didn’t realize what you meant by morning, Daryl. I was expecting to at least have until the sun came up.”

“Couldn’t sleep much so’s I figured I’d take a walk aroun, lookin for fresh tracks so’s I can see where the rabbits are holin up. Be easier to teach Charlie to track if’n I already know where they are. I didn’t really mean to end up here so early.”

“Oh it’s alright. We can get used to early mornin’s together Daryl if this arrangement works out like I want it to. How about you start goin over those papers right there while I go take a shower and put some clothes on.”

Negan deliberately walked close enough to Daryl that he could smell the sleep still clinging to his skin. When he reached out and ran his hands through Daryl’s hair, the tsking sound was almost silent. As though he were disappointed. He walked up the stairs and Daryl turned to watch him, seein the flex of his ass and thighs. Daryl’s cock appreciated the view, even if the rest of him was completely lost. He turned back in his chair and looked at the pages in front of him. Organization and scheduling was somethin he could do; he knew people and could figure how they’d work together. There were 5 tribute runs that needed to be done today and he started lookin at the names of the people and assignin them as he thought would be best. He broke a couple of groups up from what they’d been for a while because they’d be more efficient the other day. He was so lost in the paperwork, he didn’t hear Negan come back downstairs and pour coffee; though he did gratefully accept a cup absent-mindedly. 

“Daryl, you do realize you’re workin on a schedule for 3 days from now?” Negan’s voice broke through his concentration. He looked up, pushing his annoying hair out of his face. He really should get it cut shorter. Not too short, he liked when Negan ran his fingers through his hair. 

“Makes sense to plan out a few days ahead so if someone comes up sick, we have time to fix it without havin to worry about other runs at the same time. ‘Sides, most of these groups are stayin the same anyway. The only ones I’m changin are out on the Eastern road and the tribute that goes to Alexandria. They need a bigger crew if the people there ever decide to kick back and the Eastern road … I dunno, somethin ain’t right with that kid Roger. He’s better with a group that has strong leadership and Mabel, she’s gettin on in years and it’s time to get her off runs. So I moved Roger to the group Mabel used to be with and I’ll take up Roger’s place on the Eastern road for today. On my run, I’m gonna bring the Piccurd kids. They already got an instinct for it, just needs to be nurture a bit. Won’t take too long before they could go on runs with other groups and we can figure out what other kids are good to go.”

Negan had come over and was lookin at the list changes, his hands on Daryl’s shoulders and gently rubbing. His voice was deep as he asked, “You think Lincoln is a good match for going to your old camp?”

“Lincoln can be a sneaky fucker so if the shit comes, he can slide up and get into one of their sniper nests.”

“You talk like you’re OK with this?”

“They made their choice. I made mine. I wound up where I belong.” Daryl’s voice wavered a little as he made the statement. But it wasn’t for reasons most would think. He was hoping that he WAS where he belonged and he wasn’t disappointed. Negan leaned to the side and pressed his lips to Daryl’s cheek.

“Yes you did.”

***

Gettin used to the new way of things was easy now; every day some time around when the sun was comin up, Daryl would find himself on the steps to the cabin and Negan would be in the kitchen makin coffee. Daryl would plan out runs for the next few days, playin around with breakin some groups up and seein what the results were. Some were successful, like movin Roger to the more structured team and some were disasters, like sending Edgar out with Rollins and havin both of them come back bloody and half the tribute (cotton twill) soaked in it. He’d asked Negan permission to dole out the punishment personally and Negan had agreed. Daryl wanted to impress him, but he didn’t really know why. Maybe it was the blowjobs he’d been so freely giving Daryl every day.

Daryl decided the best way to ensure the message was loud and clear was something dramatic. 

“Y’all have to learn to work together so the rest of us don’t suffer. Now half our shit is ruined for trade because you two assholes couldn’t get along? You took from us and you know what happened to the last person that took from us.” 

Everyone remembered Alison. Everyone remembered how she’d been struggling when she was led away from Negan’s cabin and the sounds of her screamin when the bolt came out of her shoulder. And when Big Justin had spread her down on the big tree stump at the corner of camp, children were run back into their tents and bunks. When Kevin had quieted her screams with his cock in her throat Justin lubed up his cock and slid it right in. Who would have guessed Alison was a virgin before that? No one would have … but the evidence was clear. No-one wanted to end up like Alison.

Daryl marched both Rollins and Edgar (along with a crowd of onlookers and Negan himself) out beyond the ‘safe’ edge of camp. Once out there, everyone saw the 3 Walkers that were restrained with strips of the cotton that had been ruined by the 2 men. Daryl threw a length of rope he’d brought along over a low hanging branch and tied each end around the waist of each man before binding their hands. Essentially, each man was hanging free with his toes just barely touching the ground like a crude see-saw. 

“Y’all are gonna stay out here all night with them Walkers. Now if any of ‘em gets free, well, you know what they’s gonna do. You have enough rope between ya that if you work together, y’all might be able ta climb the tree and save yaselfs. Or ya might have enough rope to leave ya buddy and climb up yaself. S’up to you which happens … hell, could be them Walkers won’t even get free. I’ll be back in the mornin, bright n early to see what happened.”

Daryl turned and walked away from the begging and protesting men. Among the gathered people, there was a silence of admiration. This was strength to protect them and do what needed to be done. Mr. Dixon was brutal but effective.

Mr. Dixon was their Savior.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Albert wasn't done apparently.

Daryl was at Negan’s cabin again, jittery from whether or not what he’d done was the right thing. Leavin them with them Walkers had been hard but he’d wanted to show that he was strong enough to stay here. That he was good at somethin other than just movin people around. He’d gotten the idea from somewhere, someplace in his head that he tried not to think about. He didn’t even know why he’d come back to the cabin, he shoulda just gone to his bunk. If Negan wanted him, he’d send Charlie or someone else to come find him. He had half convinced himself and was walkin towards the door when Negan himself walked through the door and was right in Daryl’s personal space before he could react. 

Negan pushed him backwards, using his larger body mass to get Daryl to go where he wanted him until his back slammed into a wall. Negan’s hands came down and pinned Daryl to the wall with his hips seconds before his mouth descended and he was kissing Daryl. It was a hungry kiss, one that threatened to devour you if you didn’t respond. And respond Daryl did … he could feel Negan’s massive cock hard against his own as Negan violated his mouth with his tongue. Their bodies were grinding together (well, Negan was grinding against Daryl. Daryl still couldn’t move) and Negan bit Daryl’s lip hard enough that he winced before he pulled back and looked Daryl right in the face. His eyes were lust blown black and there was a gleam in his eye that Daryl should have been afraid of but instead, he groaned and leaned forward, wanting to feel what that look meant. Negan leaned away from him, moving his hands from Daryl’s hips to his shoulders. 

“Did you hear them, Daryl? Did you hear what the group called you when you came back here?”, his voice was heavy and deep with a hint of amusement.

“Dinna hear much of nothin’ ‘cept them two assholes screamin.”

“They’re callin you The Savior. They’re callin you the Avenging Savior. I told you, baby … way back, I told you that you had a place here and that you were appreciated. Today, you proved that you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be. And it’s time for me to put you where you belong.”

Negan leaned in again, crushing his lips against Daryl’s before taking him by the wrists and leading him up the stairs. He led Daryl down the hall to where Daryl knew he slept. Daryl had a moment … a breath. He looked at the door and he knew … he knew going through that door meant so much more than just fucking. This was going to change who he was. If he refused, he’d be cast out of the group at best … or Lucille would pay him a visit at worst. In the months since he’d started organizing the runs, teaching Charlie how to track and teachin the older kids about supply runs, there’d been plenty of other times that he’d seen the devastation Lucille’s kiss could bring. He’d offered his own form of encouragement with his crossbow plenty of times when they’d run into groups that were smaller and needed convincing of their place. Daryl looked at the door, looked at Negan standing with his hand on the doorknob, waiting to see what Daryl was going to do.

He stepped forward over the threshold into the bedroom. Negan was behind him in an instant, pressing him forward towards the bed in the center of the room. When his knees hit the mattress, Negan turned him around so they were facing each other. He held Daryl’s face, held his eyes. “You made your choice, Savior. You chose us … you chose me. Now I’m going to choose you. I’m going to own you … you’re MY Avenging Savior and you’re gonna be the sweetest bitch under me I’ve ever had.” Negan began mouthing the side of Daryl’s neck, sucking the skin between his teeth and letting go. His hands were busy pushing at Daryl’s clothes, stripping him naked for the first time in their entire … there was no word for what they were, It wasn’t a relationship, they didn’t love each other. It was an arrangement … a give and take. Daryl’s hands were clawing at the buckle of Negan’s pants, pushing them down all that pristine, unmarked skin. For a moment, Daryl remembered his scars; remembered how ugly his skin was compared to the perfection of Negan’s body and he felt weak. 

When Negan’s hand brushed against the welts on his back as he pushed his shirt off, Daryl flinched but Negan just sucked his mouth against his own and kissed him again, distracting him from his own thoughts. “Every Savior has their marks to show the battles they’ve won. Your scars are proof that you avenge and survive, Savior.” A moment and he was pushed backwards onto the mattress, sitting on the edge and Negan’s cock in front of his face. This close, it was huge; uncut with a darkening tip as it lengthened and grew wider. He had no idea where the idea came from but he leaned forward and nuzzled his face against that cock, hearing the moan from above him. He liked that moan … wanted to hear more of it. He mentally started building a rabbit trap in his mind so he could relax and act on instinct instead of thinking too much. He opened his mouth, lapping at the tip of the cock hiding beneath the foreskin. The taste wasn’t terrible and he found he could take a little more. He reached with his hand and gently rolled the foreskin back, exposing the slick head of Negan’s shaft before he put his lips around it and gently sucked. The noise Negan made with that was better than anything he’d ever heard. He started to think about what he enjoyed about when Negan sucked his cock and, as he always did when he was unsure of something, he mimicked Negan. He began to stroke and lick, being cautious of the foreskin. His tongue curling around the tip as he sucked it as far as he could into his mouth. 

Opening his eyes, he realized he’d only managed a little more than half. He looked up at Negan and saw the blissed out expression on his face and wanted to ensure he did the best he could. Thinking about how some animals could stretch their throats for prey, Daryl tilted his head a little more and pushed up, feeling the head of Negan’s cock slide into his throat and feeling it throb as his nose came into contact with the well groomed curls at the base of Negan’s shaft.

“Holy fuck, Savior. No one … ever.” Negan was looking down at him in awe as he swallowed before letting the cock slide back out so he could breathe, concentrating on just the head for a bit to work up the courage to do that again. What Negan couldn’t see was that every time he managed to get Negan’s cock buried in his throat, his own cock was dripping precum onto the floor. He tilted his head again, pushing his mouth up and kept his eyes open, watching Negan watch him. When Negan’s hands came to his head and balled his fist in Daryl’s hair, he didn’t think anything of it until Negan started pumping his cock back and forth. He was pushing his cock in and out of Daryl’s throat and Daryl’s cock wouldn’t stop throbbing. By the time Negan stopped, there was a puddle on the floor between Daryl’s legs. 

He was pushed back again, this time onto his back in the middle of the mattress. Negan settled between his thighs, wrapping his legs on either side of Negan’s body. He started to strip his cock, slow and steady while Negan reached onto the side table and took out a tub of a slick substance. He smeared it all over his cock and then slid a finger into Daryl’s ass. He was used to one finger and didn’t tense up too much, although the slick substance was new. Negan’s finger pumped in and out a few times before he was adding a second; scissoring them inside Daryl’s ass to stretch him open. By now, Daryl was moaning and he didn’t give a single fuck who heard him. At the third finger, it was like his first blowjob all over again. He could feel his body tightening up and wanting to explode but Negan wouldn’t allow it. It’s not that he stopped him, but Daryl knew it would disappoint him and he wanted to give this to Negan. They’d been waiting months … waiting for the moment when it felt right and this was it, here. 

When he felt the blunt head of Negan’s cock against his well stretched hole, he looked up and locked eyes with the man. He put his hands on the wall behind his head to brace himself and he waited, watching Negan.

“Who are you?”, his voice was dark.

“The Savior.” 

Negan slid his cock home, pushing past the rings, pushing past the pain and sliding all the way in until his balls were slapped up against Daryl’s ass.

“Who do you belong to?”

“You.”

He pulled almost all the way out and slid back in again.

“Who did you used to be?”

“It doesn’t matter. What matters is now. I’m the Avenging Savior and I’m yours. And I want you to fuck me through the floor like you promised all those months ago.” His voice was confident and he bucked his hips up to make his point. 

Negan set a pace that was brutal, but that was the core of their arrangement and always had been. Brutality was what they knew … it was their life, every day. You claim and you take and you care for what you have. You protect the group that protects you, you protect the person who has your back. 

He was braced against the wall so Negan was hovering over his face, staring each other in the eye while he fucked him, pulling all the way out and slamming back home over and over again. Every slam was another claim on another part of who Daryl was. His balls were tight … he needed to release what was inside of him … he needed to let go and Negan was the key to all of it. He was fucking back against Negan as much as he was being fucked and the sensation was fucking amazing.

“Want you. Jesus fuck but I’ve wanted you. This is mine and no-one else has it. My Avenging Savior. No one touches my Savior.” Negan’s voice chanted in his ear as he pounded harder, deeper.

“Fuck me. Claim me. I been yours from the start, make sure ever’one knows it.”

He didn’t know why he did it, but he tilted his head and offered his neck up to Negan. And he didn’t know why he responded but Negan closed his mouth around the pulsepoint of his neck and bit down just as he started to cum inside Daryl’s ass. When the pain broke the skin, Daryl released everything that had been before this moment and The Savior took over. He came all over his own stomach and Negan’s chest, still grinding up against Negan’s cock until they were both spent. 

For the moment, there was nothing but peace inside of him. No conflict, no confusion … there was just a quietness in his head of belonging.


	8. Chapter 8

At some point, he’d drifted off and when he woke up, Negan was gone. He shifted on the bed to reach for his clothes and hissed at the literal pain in his ass; the memory of his orgasm not nearly enough to wipe away the ache. He noticed that while he’d been out, Negan must have cleaned him up because he knew his cum had splashed between their bodies. He did not, however, clean out his ass; he could feel the slow dribble running out of his hole and for some reason, it wasn’t as unpleasant as he thought it should have been. His Daddy would have beat him to death with Merle helpin if they could see him right now but he found he didn’t give a shit. He was where he belonged.

Lookin’ out the window of the cabin, he saw a couple tribute runs gettin ready to leave and he double-timed his movement so he wouldn’t miss his truck. He could see his team preppin the truck before he came out of the bedroom and hurried down the hall. Negan was in the kitchen when he came down the steps and turned, looking truly surprised at how fast he was trying to get out of the house.

“Where you goin, Savior?”

“My truck. My team’s gettin’ ready to go out an’ I can’t make ‘em late.”

Negan laughed so hard he had to put his mug down or he was going to drop it. He came over and put his hand on his shoulder, still laughing.

“You think the Avenging Savior goes on supply runs? Oh no, we have a few other, more important things to plan, you and I. I have some … expansion plans in mind.”

He stopped, looking at Negan calculatingly. “Whos goin on the run instead’a me?”

“I’m sure they’ll find someone.”

He actually rolled his eyes as he walked towards the door. “I’ll be back. I gotta at least make sure they don’t fuck anythin up with who they take. I think the Ashley Piccurd can take up for me. Gimme a minute.”

As he came down the steps of the cabin, the people in his vicinity stopped and made sure to smile or wave at him. He did his best to wave back but his focus was on the supply truck. Punch was the first to notice him, standing up a little straighter.

“Savior! I didn’t think you was comin with us?”

“Who’d you get to come along, then?”

“Ashley Piccurd seemed the best choice.”

He actually smiled and slapped Punch’s shoulder affectionately. “You’re comin along from that scared kid you was a couple months ago. She’da been my choice too. Guess you got it all covered, I’ll be seein ya when y’all get back.”

He noticed the awestruck expression of pride in Punch’s eyes at the praise and made a note to encourage that. The kid really was comin along; maybe ready for his own team in a while. Mebbe with the Piccurd kids, Big Justi … he stopped as he pushed his hair out of his face again. It really was getting all kinds of annoyin. The thought occurred to him that he’d kept his hair long to hide behind, just like what Negan had said all those months ago. His eyes skittered from where Negan’s cabin was to where he knew Susie Rhodes was. Susie was a damn fine barber, trained an’ everythin before the world went to shit. And he had a couple things he could trade her for. Negan wouldn’t mind waitin’ a little bit.

He walked over towards where Susie was and cleared his throat to get her attention from where she was readin somethin. When she looked up, her face broke out in a huge smile.

“Please tell me you’re here to finally let me have my way with your hair?” Her hard Bostonian accent was sometimes hard to follow but he nodded, smilin.

“Jus don’t shave me bald’er nothin’. A little long on the top but … I dunno. Do your best with it. Whattya trade fer it?”

She looked at him like he’d grown another head.

“Trade?”

“Yeah, fer doin ma hair.”

“You’re the Savior. Far as I’m concerned, you keepin us all safe is payment enough. Your trade ain’t no good with me.”, she said with finality and there was no arguin with her. She pushed him into her chair and gave him the full barber treatment, from hot water to a warm towel and a shave. By the time she was done, he felt better than he had in years. She tipped him up in the chair and held up a mirror for him to look into. She’d kept some of the length in the back but trimmed up the sides and top so it was still long but not hanging in his face. It wasn’t too different from the way he’d kept his hair b’fore it all went to shit. He felt a little bit like himself but … now there was a confidence that he couldn’t quite place. He was where he belonged, he kept telling himself. He thanked Susie, makin a note in his head to make sure he did somethin nice for her soon as payment. 

***  
Arrivin back at the cabin, Negan was sittin at the table and it looked like he was tryin to figure a new route. Before he’d even stepped foot through the door, Negan was lookin up, “What took you so lo … oh.”

Daryl ran his hand through his freshly cut hair, grinnin’ a little. “Figured it was time. Susie Rhodes took care’a me. Wouldn’t take no trade fer it so I was thinkin next time we take a tribute from that place out on the Western run, they usually have some of those marigold flowers. Susie likes em in her shavin’ cream so I thought we could make sure she gets some.”

Negan was still looking at him, an appreciative smile on his lips. “You look different now. Less like Daryl Dixon, more like my Avenging Savior.”

Something inside Daryl twisted painfully. All his life, he’d been Daryl Dixon, Merle’s brother. Daryl Dixon the tracker. Daryl Dixon, the guy that you can use and throw away. As he watched Negan getting up from the table and go to pour him a cup of coffee, he realized he could finally do what everyone else in his life had always done. He could throw away Daryl Dixon. Become the Savior.

When he sat back down at the table and looked at the maps, he was settled and he was focused. Their group was outgrowing the current camp and it was time to look into something more expansive; something they could use long term but wasn’t so far away that the 2 camps couldn’t be in contact. His eyes scanned the map as Negan handed him a cup and he took a sip. Looking up, he met Negan’s eyes.

“It’s time to take Alexandria.”


	9. Chapter 9

Negan looked at him with honest surprise in his eyes, and a hint of suspicion. He couldn’t really blame him; it wasn’t something Daryl would have considered.

“You want to take Alexandria?”

“Makes the most sense. They are the nearest to us that have all the same resources we have here, plus a reinforced wall to keep Walkers out. They have houses with ‘lectricity and runnin water plus the city is bigger’n what we are now. You said you want ta expand? This makes the most sense. Why expand into smaller camps that stretch us out further and further when we can just take a city that’s already doin what we’re doin here.”

“And you want to do this … why?” Negan sounded suspicious. Daryl turned his head to hold his eyes, make sure he had his attention.

“Because I want us to live. I been survivin all my life, gettin by from one shithole to the next. Hunt or die, kill or be killed, feast or famine. I was always disposable to ever’one, includin my own family. Them folks over there in Alexandria? They did the same so I don’t feel like I owe anyone no loyalty ‘cept to the people that I’m with. And I chose you. You need proof I chose you, take a look at the bite on my neck, or those 2 assholes out there in the field. Or ask Alis … oh wait, Alison don’t talk no more, does she?”

Negan’s eyes sparked with something dark and Daryl felt his cock twitch. He turned his eyes back to the map in front of him before he could act on that twitch.

“Next time we head out that way for a supply pickup, I’m gonna ride along but you let me off ‘bout a mile out. I can creep in and get a look at what I need to see. Take Charlie with you into the city and I’ll let him know what I’m lookin for. You’ll have to get me a layout too, how many people are there now, how many sniper towers they got up. When I was there last, they had ‘bout 75 folks livin inside the walls and it’s been … shit, almost a year now? Figure they prolly ain’t done much growin and too busy plannin how they gonna stop us. So maybe 100 people, at least 25 of em kids that are too young to fight. I can come up with a list of who you wanna watch out fer. And there may be one person that would be a good addition here, if she’s willin. If not, she’s just as expendable as the rest of em. An …”, here he paused. He wasn’t sure how this would sound but it was important to him somehow.

“Rick Grimes has 2 kids. One of em you know … the one eyed kid. He might be a good addition but he’d need some work. But there’s another one, if she’s still alive. A baby, ‘bout 18 months now? I want her to survive an she can live with the Hanson family. They lost a kid ‘bout a year ago and they would be good parents for her.”

Negan was looking at him again, that admiration back in his eyes. “Who are you thinkin might join us? The girl with the sword?”

“Nah, that’s Michonne and she’s Grimes’ bitch. Nah, there’s another one. Silver hair, smaller, goes by the name Carol. She’s a vicious fighter when she needs to be and I think she’d do well here. But she might be just as dedicated to Grimes as the rest and that means she’d have to go. But she’d be a hard one to put down.”

“So you’re not talking about eviction here, you’re talking extinction.”

“Nah … if they go easy enough and let the city go or want to join us, I ain’t seein where any of em would be a problem. But I don’t see that core group goin along easy. We’re scheduled to go out there again in 2 weeks. That gives us time to plan what needs to be seen so we can plan how to go about takin’ the city.”

He hadn’t noticed but while he’d been talking, Negan had been working his way around behind him and had his hands on his shoulders, leaning down to whisper in his ear.

“You know you’re talking about a group that I took you from like they were a group of strangers. Are you sure this isn’t going to be a problem for you? To see them again? To remember your life with them?”

Daryl turned and looked at Negan.

“I do remember my life with them. That’s what makes this so easy.”

Negan had him out of the chair and up the stairs in record time. And if anyone outside the cabin heard their Savior panting Negan’s name like a prayer, they paid it no mind at all.

***  
2 weeks later found Daryl on the back of a truck heading down the familiar road to Alexandria. He jumped from the back about 2 miles out, just in case they were guarding this far out. He doubted it, their resources for people that had that kind of skill were gone. He’d have worried about Abraham or Glen bein this far out but Lucille had silenced them forever. There was another twist in his gut as their names came back to his mind as easily as the names Carol, Maggie and Beth. These were people he’d been with … people he’d lived and breathed and shared with. He’d hunted for them, tracked for them … always FOR them, never WITH them though, came his inner voice (the one that sounded suspiciously like Negan). Glen was the saint that Rick turned to for advice. Morgan was the soul that kept Rick from going too far. Daryl had been the dirtywork guy. Idly Daryl wondered who had taken up as Rick’s dirty work guy, or if he was doin his own dirty work these days.

He crept up into the wood nearest the far wall on the opposite side of the city from where the gate was. Charlie and the Piccurds were on the truck today and it was their job to look around and take inventory of the inside of the city. He silently moved along the wall, counting the sniper nests, discounting the ones that looked unusable. He noted loose areas of the wall and was absolutely shocked to come across a small section of the wall that had completely caved. It wasn’t a large expanse, but it was big enough for someone like Charlie. And it was reinforced with nothing but chicken wire but the view was of the back of a building so he couldn’t use the opening to spy. He made a  note of where it was and continued along the wall; finally coming to a point where he knew he’d have to backtrack because they’d have those sniper nests guarded and Sasha was no slouch when it came to her shots. He had no desire to fuck with that angry bitch.

He could hear Negan talking to the people inside the city. They’d decided Negan would tell the city he needed a headcount for how many people were contributing, includin children. More people meant larger tributes, so they figured they’d cut their number some. He heard Rick Grimes’ voice for the first time in over a year and he froze. The man had been a brother figure, a leader, a protector of his children. He’d taken Daryl in when he didn’t really have to and he’d trusted him. He’d believed in Daryl when even his own brother didn’t. He’d trusted Daryl to take care of the things that needed to get done. A moment later, he heard Carol’s voice … heard her askin after Daryl. Heard her actually say his name. It was a harder shot than a crossbow bolt to the gut. He didn’t hear Negan’s response but the sarcastic tone gave the impression that Daryl was busy “workin”. Michonne’s voice next (did they have no one guarding the nests?) tellin Negan this was all they had and if he wanted more, he’d have to wait longer. Supplies were limited and it was hard enough out there to find for their own. 

“Then perhaps you should’ve done a better job of who you chose.” Negan’s voice was clear and Daryl straightened up. He’d made his choice and he was here to do a job. He silently made his way around to the other side, noting none of the sniper nests were occupied. He took a chance with the old church and quietly climbed inside. The smell of soot and rot was strong but his eyes adjusted to the semi darkness quickly enough that he could tell rotted wood from not. He wanted one look inside the camp, one look at what they were doing with their guard AFTER Negan left. He settled against a buttress that gave him a view. He swallowed hard when he saw them.

Rick had a wild look to him, like the rage had taken over and he was as likely to explode as implode. Michonne, usually right beside Rick, was on the far side of their group and her normally straight shoulders were bent with the weight of something. Carl was down the street, holding Judith out of sight of Negan. Morgan and Aaron were behind Rick, as well as a few others who’s names had been long forgotten. They looked half-starved and not a single one of them looked optimistic. Of course, that could all just be a face they put on for Negan to try and gain sympathy but it was still hard to see it. Carol was the only one who appeared to be standing straight and she had that look on her face that she wore when she was calculating something. For all intents and purposes, Carol looked like a suburban soccer mom. Daryl remembered that was when she was her most dangerous.

Negan turned towards the truck, tribute having been gathered up and the gate slid open. Once the truck was clear and the gate closed, shoulders straightened and the look of determination was back on their faces. So it was an act. “I counted 5 people on the truck that ain’t been here before. So that means we’ve seen at least 35 people come for tributes.”, Rick’s voice was strong, despite his physical appearance.

“That’s 35 that we know of Rick. God knows how many more trucks he has out there and you remember all the people that were there when he took Daryl.”

“You don’t say his name around me. You don’t say that name ever.” Daryl wanted to savage the man right then and there. He’d not only been forgotten about, he was a forbidden subject. So useless, he didn’t warrant even a memory.

“Fuck you, Rick. That man saved your ass more times than any of us can count and you couldn’t be fucked to go try and find him.”, Carol’s voice was laced with more acid than he’d ever heard. “Now if you’re done with your ‘show of strength’ macho bullshit, I’m done being in your presence. I have better things to do.”

The group broke apart, including Michonne storming away from Rick. But Daryl stayed where he was … he wanted to see how many acts there were. Sure enough, everyone stormed away in a different direction, but they all made their way into the main house about an hour later. So the fractures were fake, the core group was still together and they figured they were bein watched. Daryl slithered out of the church building and began making his way home.


	10. Chapter 10

By the time Daryl made his way back to the cabin to report in, he was sweaty and had more than a few Walker kills to add to his overall “funk”. He went straight upstairs to the guest shower that he always used and reached in to turn on the water but noticed his shower stuff wasn’t where he’d left it. Immediately on the alert, his eyes scanned the room and everything else seemed to be in place. Immediately, his thoughts turned towards his bunk; perhaps Negan had sent his stuff back to his bunk and was sending him back to the communal showers?

He came out of the bathroom and ran almost directly into the man in question. He looked up just in time to see Negan scrunch his nose at the “perfume” of Walker guts and sweat. Before Daryl could say anything, Negan put his hand on the back of his neck and moved him down the hall towards the main bedroom. 

“I took the liberty of movin your shit into the bathroom attached to the master bedroom. I also took the liberty of movin your shit from your bunk to the master bedroom. You are where you belong, my Avenging Savior. But right now, you fuckin stink so shower off those guts, I might burn those clothes and we’ll talk after you’ve had a chance to get clean.” Negan even leaned forward, braving the stink and kissed Daryl. There was no devouring passion but there was definite want.

He was where he belonged.

***

An hour (plus one boiling hot shower) later, Daryl was sitting in the cabin surrounded by Negan, Charlie, the Piccurds and a few others that Negan had said he wanted to include. He listened as Charlie outlined what he’d been able to see while he was inside the gate. One thing Daryl realized is their hypervigilence worked against the Alexandrians in this regard; they were so focused on Negan (and by default, Lucille) they almost didn’t notice Charlie and the Piccurds. They’d been able to make it almost halfway down the road and get a layout of which houses were occupied, what state the food pantry was in (Ashley Piccurd could turn on the charm and act like the most innocent babe in the woods you ever did see when necessary and she’d managed to get an invite to the ladies room in the pantry house.) Charlie reported the sniper nests were mostly abandoned, save for the 2 overlooking the gate itself and that the ones to the far side of the gates were mostly broken at the bottoms so they were mostly for show to anyone approaching the city.

Negan said they reported they had 60 people in the city and Daryl snorted at that. “It’s possible they had some folks leave once they came back from their meetin with you, but I doubt that many. Them folks, outside of Rick’s core group, is just sheep. Most of ‘em would just rather lay down and keep on doin what they been doin and it don’t matter who is tellin’ em to do it. Once you get Rick outta the way, the rest may fall in line. After y’all left, they had themselves a little scene at the gate, make it seem like they was all sick of Rick and his “macho bullshit” but an hour later, they was all gatherin in the main house. So they figured out someone watches them after y’all leave.”

“Which is funny considering we never have before.” Negan narrowed his eyes at Daryl. He seemed to have reverted back to the way things were when he’d first invited Daryl in to track Alison. Trust … but only so far. Daryl could appreciate that because he understood the dynamic this represented. He’d claimed to choose Negan and this group but his first suggestion was to spy on and overtake his old group’s city. He’d just have to prove himself … this time, already knowin he had the trust behind him in the people he was surrounded with.

“Rick Grimes is almost as paranoid as you claim I am. He’d have started that charade after your first pick-up and prolly kept it goin this whole time. They was careful about not comin back together until after dark and they snuck into that main house like cockroaches comin out after the light goes out.

“Anyone that ever went on a run there, you hear anythin’ about a Maggie? She was kinda the brains behind the city once the original bitch got bit.”

“So Rick ain’t in charge over there?”

“Think of Rick like the police and Maggie like the politician. He was a cop before an’ he’s comfortable takin that role up again … just with a little more enthusiasm towards the violence.”

Negan started laughing so hard he pitched forward in his chair and had to hold his stomach. It lasted a good minute or two before he could get a hold of himself enough to speak. “Lemme guess. County Sherriff?”

“Think so, yeah. What’s got you?”

“Fuck me rollin’ that’s just some funny shit. That explains so much.”

Daryl looked at Negan, who was still chuckling but not offering an explanation beyond that so they continued. 

Charlie spoke up once Negan quieted. “I heard someone sayin somethin to someone else about how Maggie was wantin to find more supplies to fix the sniper towers but they needed to do it quiet so we wouldn’t find out.”

“So Maggie’s still over there. Maggie I think would prolly be one that would be hard to convince. When we met up with them, they was livin on her Daddy’s farm with her little sister Beth. Her Daddy got killed by the Governor and her sister got killed in a hospital in Atlanta, all after it went to shit. I was there for both and seen how hard it made her. When we ran into ‘em, she was pregnant and it was her man that you beaned the second time ‘round.”, that hard knot in his throat was almost impossible to swallow past. Even now he still held that guilt. He’d gotten Glen killed and it had cost him Alexandria. He may be a Savior now but Alexandria had it’s benefits too and Glen had been decent to him. And Abraham … that ginger was fuckin crazy but could hold himself together. He’d have been a good addition to their group too but he was gone too, courtesy of Lucille. How many more people were gonna have to di …

“You still with us, Savior?”, Ashley Piccured nudged his knee with her own. 

“Yeah sorry. Was just thinkin about the layout and how we can use it to our advantage.”

They continued into the night, gathering up what they knew and piecing together what they’d gotten from other supply runners. It was long dark by the time everyone left and for the first time, Daryl realized that he had nowhere else to go. Negan had moved him in, there was no bunk to retreat to. He took his time gatherin up the papers they’d been planning with until there was nothing to do but go upstairs (Negan had gone up already). For some reason, his legs felt like lead as he climbed the stairs and he was swallowing past that lump that felt like Glen Rhee almost constantly. He made it to the doorway and looked in. 

Negan was already in bed, readin somethin. He looked over at Daryl standin in the doorway and raised an eyebrow. “I realize I took a liberty, but I don’t want to think I overstepped where you want to be. Our entire home knows about us because you’re loudly appreciative and all the time we spend together. And there ain’t a person in our world that gives one single shit about it. So you decide where you wanna sleep, but this bed here is where I will fuck you senseless.”

He turned back to his book, as though he weren’t paying attention to every breath Daryl took. There was half a second’s hesitation before Daryl once again made his choice and stepped over the threshold. He missed the tiny smirk on Negan’s face when he turned towards the foot of the bed to come around and slide out of his clothes. When he was down to his drawers, Negan cleared his throat. “Might want to take them off too. Make my life a little easier, Savior.”

Instantly, Daryl’s cock was hard. He slid his boxers off and climbed into the bed. Negan was over him before his back was on the mattress, digging his hands into Daryl’s hair and pulling his face up for one of those fiery, devouring kisses that spoke of hunger and want. Daryl wrapped his arms around Negan’s shoulders, digging his fingers into the muscle to anchor himself against the onslaught as Negan’s tongue slid into his mouth and demanded every breath. Their hips ground together and Daryl could feel how hard Negan was for him. And it was for him … somethin’ in this world that was just for Daryl. Slick precum leaked out of both of their cocks as they ground together and Negan’s mouth moved from his mouth down to the pulse point of his neck. The bitemarks had long since faded and they’d never done anythin’ like that since but whenever they fucked, Negan always reminded them of the mark by suckin against that spot almost until it bruised. Daryl tilted his neck, letting Negan remind them and feeling his cock get impossibly harder. 

He felt Negan’s tongue lick up the side of his neck before he heard him whisperin in his ear. What he heard didn’t register for a minute and then his heart slammed stop in his chest.

“I want to feel you ride me. I want to see all those gorgeous marks on my Saviour’s body while I fuck you.”

Gorgeous? His scars? The things he tried so hard to hide, the marks that he was so ashamed of? He stopped movin’ and looked at Negan, confusion plain on his face.

“I told you. Every Avenging Savior has their marks to show their battles. I want to see yours while I fuck you tonight. I saw your face earlier, I know where your head is. I want to remind you of how wanted you are.”

It was the closest thing to intimacy they’d ever exchanged. Their sessions in bed were hard, brutal and exhausting. Rarely did they talk, outside of the occasional grunt or when Daryl would pant Negan’s name because he knew it made Negan harder inside of him. When he still hadn’t moved, whether out of confusion or fear, Negan stopped and took his face between his hands.

“I ain’t gonna start spouting off that I love you, Daryl. I ain’t gonna start bakin fuckin cakes and romancin you. That ain’t us and it sure as fuck ain’t me. I’m not tryin to get you to tell me you can’t live without me because, frankly, either one of us could walk away from this without a second glance and be just fine and you know it. But I do appreciate what you do with me here. I appreciate what you do with me for our community, our people. I know goin to Alexandria today fucked with your head. Seein them, hearin their voices. And I’d be lyin if I said I wasn’t worried that you’d prefer that life to this one here and maybe I moved you into the cabin to keep you a little closer. Take it for what it is. You’re wanted here, Daryl Dixon. You belong here, far as I’m concerned. And in my own way, I want to show you my appreciation.”

It wasn’t the epic announcement of his sayin’ he all but cared. It wasn’t the sound of him finally sayin he was worried about Daryl leavin. It was when he said “with me”. Daryl rolled his body and shocked the hell out of Negan when he managed to roll him onto his back, pinning him down to the bed with his hands on Negan’s shoulders and his knees close against Negan’s hips. He leant down and for the first time, took control of the kiss they exchanged. Every bit as brutal and demanding as the kisses Negan fed him; every bit as hungry. But there was a reassurance there, an acknowledgment that they were in this together and they were, for the very first time in Daryl’s life, equals. 

Daryl reached blindly for the tub of slick and sunk 4 fingers into the gel, gathering it up on his fingers. He had no idea what it was made from but there seemed a neverending supply of it so he wasn’t particularly interested in what it was. He just knew it did the job as he wrapped his hand around Negan’s cock and coated every inch in as much slick as he could manage. His hand returned to the tub before he reached behind him, sliding 2 fingers into his hole and spreading the slick as deep inside as he could reach. This wasn’t going to be comfortable but he didn’t need comfort. He needed the solid reminder that he was where he belonged. 

He pulled away from Negan’s mouth and sat astride his body for a moment as Negan ran his hands over Daryl’s chest and shoulders, down his hips and over his thighs. His fingers traced the steer brand as though committing it to memory. There was a darkness between them that would always be there. Romance wasn’t in their future and there may come a time when they separate but right here, he was Negan’s Savior. He turned his body, flipping his legs over Negan’s thighs and, for the first time, exposing his back as he reached between their bodies and lined up Negan’s cock with his ill-prepped hole. He took a deep breath … the first time they’d fucked it had been painful because he’d been a virgin but the rush of hearing Negan as 

“Who are you?”

The relief in his soul was almost palpable as he heard Negan ask the same question, this time with his fingers tracing the whip marks of Daryl’s back.

“The Saviour.”

Negan waited … this was about Daryl. He plunged down, hissing as the drag caught his hole and every inch of Negan’s cock was buried inside of him. He took a moment, waiting.

“You belong to me, Daryl Dixon. You are MY Savior.”

Negan took hold of his hips and began to fuck up into him, setting a hard and fast pace that loosened his hole enough to take every inch without the pain and when the pleasure began to tingle along the edges. His hands came up, pressing against the angels on Daryl’s back and let him take over the fucking. It wasn’t as fast but had the same savagery. He drew himself almost all the way off and slowly sank back down, taking Negan inch by inch. Much the way he’d been accepted into the group, he accepted Negan into his body. He rolled his hips, changing the angle of Negan’s cock inside of him so he wasn’t nailing that spot inside with every push, which would end this far too soon. It showed the difference in their personalities … their approach to things. Negan demanded and took while Daryl plotted and was patient for what he wanted. It was why Negan was the warloard and Daryl was the tracker. Together, they were almost unstoppable. Together, they could conquer damn near fuckin anything

Together. 

Daryl slammed his hips down, changing the angle again and squeezing his hole. He didn’t want romance, He didn’t want a fuckin cake. He wanted what he had. Solid foundation, a good community and someone in his bed that wasn’t takin advantage or ashamed to let people know they was together. 

He came so hard he didn’t even feel Negan digging his fingers into his hips hard enough to leave bruises as he finished inside Daryl’s ass. 

Daryl collapsed backwards, his back on Negan’s chest, both of them sweat-slicked and gasping for air. Daryl’s arms were thrown wide while Negan’s were still on his hips. Once he managed to catch his breath, he carefully rolled to the side, Negan’s cock having gone soft enough to slide out of him. He lay still, lookin Negan in the eye. Neither one of them said anythin but nothin really needed to be said. Eventually Daryl started to drift to sleep, his final thought before he succumbed was that tomorrow they were going to plan how to take their new home. 


	11. Chapter 11

It took 19 days to put everything together. Daryl was honestly shocked at how easily things came together but, as Negan pointed out to him repeatedly, the combination of knowledge and drive can make anything happen. The plan was to overwhelm the defenses of Alexandria by swarming the city. Daryl knew of enough places along the backside of the city where they could send up grappling hooks and not be heard, so they could scale the wall and they’d had enough people watching the city near constantly now that they had the patrol routine down to a science. Even the crack in the wall that Daryl had found was going to be useful, being just the right size for Charlie and Ashley Piccurd to slide through. They weren’t there to fight; it was their job to find out where Judith and the other children went when the attack started. From their observation, Alexandria had 15 children that were too young to fight and they were counting on their being taught to gather in one safe place together. Charlie would then send up a flare from wherever that was so Negan’s group could try and keep the fighting away from that area. No-one anticipated that being a problem, as the Alexandrians would want to protect their children.

The scouts they’d sent to watch Alexandria’s main gate had learned the inside of the old burnt out church they could scale it blindfolded, which was to their advantage. They were going to swarm from that side, as it had one lean that could provide an access into the city if you were sure-footed enough. They were hoping to keep structural damage to a minimum, being they wanted the city as their own base and that’s why the swarm method was chosen over more destructive methods. Taking out the key members of their community was the key and it was the hope they could manage that without a firefight that would draw Walkers. The one sticking point that had Daryl the most nervous was his own mission. It was the lynchpin to almost everything.

Daryl was going to sneak into Alexandria before everyone else, slip into Rick and Michonne’s place and use a doctored version of essentially bovine anesthesia to knock both of them out. There was a vet that lived with their group who’d offered up the information when they’d asked about anesthesia. He’d even been able to guess at a dosage for inhalation based on the approximate size and weight of both Michonne and Rick. Another resident in the camp had been former military and knew how to make a device that could turn the liquid into a vapor. All Daryl had to do was sneak up to the window and spray the contents into the room. Breathing in the vapor would do the rest and would keep both Michonne and Rick from waking during the seige. He was pacing back and forth in the living room of the cabin, worrying his thumb between his lips and teeth when Negan walked in carrying the vaporiser. 

“Let me guess. You’ve managed to convince yourself of the million ways this could go all so terribly wrong.”, Negan’s tone was sarcastic.

“Nineteen days Negan. It only took us 19 days. Mebbe we should wait a bit and get more information. Make sure we know for sure what we’re gettin’ ourselves inta.”

Negan crossed the floor and stopped Daryl from pacing by physically standing in his way. 

“Do you trust our intel?”

“A’ course.”

“Do you trust me?”

“Shit no. I just sleep  beside ya.” Daryl turned a teasing grin up at Negan. The smirk he got in response was worth it.

“Do you trust yourself?”

“Well a’course I trust m’self.”

“Then what are you worried about?”

“How many of ours we gonna lose in this fight?”

Negan tilted his head, that calculating look on his face as he looked hard into Daryl’s face. “We lose as many as we lose. It’ll hurt but this is for the best for our overall survival and ain’t no-one goin to this panty party without knowin the risk.”

Negan put the vaporiser into Daryl’s hand and closed his fist around it. “You’re my Avenging Savior. You are the Savior to all those people out there and I know damn good and well you ain’t gonna let none of ‘em down. Your fancy choices, Mr. Dixon. You remember them? Make yours.”

Negan stood back away from Daryl and went back to the hunting room that had been turned into a map room, presumably going over the last bits of organization that their group had come up with over the last 19 days. It had been Daryl’s strength in organizing which people did what best that had come in most handy but Negan’s ruthlessness for assigning where they went had been key as well. Daryl closed his fist a little tighter around the vaporiser. He was where he belonged.

***

Waking up before the sun was normal. Waking up THIS far before the sun was not. Waking up this far before the sun alone in a cold bed was strange. (It had taken about 2 days before Daryl grew used to the early morning feeling of Negan’s arm tossed across his belly). It took about 3 seconds for his brain to engage and remember that today was the day. Yesterday, they’d sent all of their civilians further away, out to another smaller camp they’d maintained to keep them safer. That had been Negan’s idea, a failsafe “just in case” if their assault didn’t go as planned. It was something none of them had wanted to talk about and, as they’d left for the camp, almost every member of their community had made it a point to come to the cabin and thank both men for what they were doing. Daryl had never been kissed so many times, hugged so tightly nor respected so apparently in his entire life. It bolstered his resolve to do what needed to be done.

He dressed and went downstairs to find a cup of coffee and a note from Negan. “Couldn’t sleep. Checkin supplies. See you on Rick’s front porch. -N”

Daryl tucked the note into his chest pocket and slugged the warm coffee back. Negan must’ve been up for a while for the coffee to have cooled that much. Daryl gathered up his bolts, knives and a machete he’d taken a liking to, strapping them to his body in a way that wouldn’t hinder his movements but would be easily accessible. As he walked out of the cabin, he could see people readying to leave, while it appeared some had already left to get into place. He swung his leg over the motorcycle he’d been given (”I don’t want no Trade, Savior. I just wanna know you have a good ride that’ll take care ah ya.”) and headed out towards Alexandria. 

If he took the long way out of camp to catch a glimpse of Negan before he left, that was his own business.

***

It was pitch black dark out as he crept towards his point on the wall that he’d marked as being the best place to scale. He was close enough to Rick’s house that he wouldn’t have to deal with patrols but far enough away that even if, for some reason someone was awake, they wouldn’t hear the hook that he’d coated with a rubber spray he’d lucked across. He noticed a few people already in position and nodded to them, ruffling his hand through Charlie’s hair before he ascended.

Every noise sounded as loud as thunder in his ears and he kept listening for someone inside to start shooting or raising an alarm. There were lights on inside the city but they were clustered mostly towards where the inhabited houses were located and a few places along the wall; nowhere near where his people were going to come over the wall. His gut was tight as he scaled down the other side of the wall, knowing the exact number of seconds he had to get down and toss the rope back over the wall so it wouldn’t raise alarm. He had plenty of time but his heart was hammering. He tossed the rope and it sailed back over the wall without a problem. He turned, calculating his time to Rick’s place and began to stealthily make his way through the rows of houses. Despite his resistance, he made note of the people who’d be in the houses he passed. He remembered their faces, if not their names and sometimes, a memory of a kindness would go through his head. A shared dinner with Aaron and his man … a shy girl offering him a cigarette … Rick offerin him a place of his own (which he passed and noticed was unoccupied). By the time he’d reached Rick’s house, his head was a mess of memories and nostalgia conflicting with all the times he’d been shunned. He remembered the way Deanna had looked at him when he’d been “interviewed” … the way Maggie would sometimes look at him like it was his fault her sister and father had died … the way Rick would only ever ask him over when he needed something done.  And then he started thinking of all the people at his camp … the hugs from the grateful people … the way they’d eventually not only accepted him but were grateful to him … the look of adoration on Charlie’s face when he’d taught him how to track a deer … the look on Abraham’s face when he’d shouted his defiance … the look on Negan’s face when he’d first brought Alison back to camp … the smell of blood when Lucille had taken Glen’s life … the dismissal of never being tracked or rescued after Negan had taken him.

He hadn’t realized he was standing outside Rick’s front door until he almost walked nose-first into it. His memories had carried him across the entire compound and he knew what he had to do. 

***

Negan arrived at the gate well before dawn, 50 people in tow and was glad to see the gate open at his approach and one of his men waving them in. This was one of the trackers that had worked with Daryl and had been one of the people to come here to Alexandria most frequently to gather information. As he entered, he noticed the guard by the side of the gate, bound and unconscious but not dead. So far, the plan was going along like clockwork … they had 10 minutes to disperse and find their positions before the next patrol came by. They were counting on being able to subdue the main council before an alarm could be raised and Daryl had given them all the exact locations of every house. He could barely make out shadowy figures climbing over the walls at the far end of the city. Everything was peaceful. Everything was going according to plan. Everything was going to go to shit, he just knew it.

***

The alarm was raised and there was nothing they could do about it. One of the patrols happened by the gate earlier than they’d expected and fired a single gunshot into the air before one of Negan’s men could silence him. They raced to shut the gate, hoping there were no Walkers in the vicinity (He had about 25 people in the perimeter of the city to hopefully take care of that issue) and suddenly, they were in the middle of the shit. People came running out of their houses, some carrying swords, knives, bats and a few even had guns. Negan had been hoping to avoid this and his people thankfully managed to disappear into the shadows, so there’d be no idea how many of them were there. Unless they had inside information … unless he had a traitor.

***

Daryl heard the gunshot and winced, looking at the 2 sleeping figures in front of him. He was wearing a gas mask to prevent him from inhaling any of the gas and he’d put towels down at the door to ensure none of the gas left the room and possibly affected Carl or Asskicker. When neither figure moved, he continued to bind each of them securely even while listening to Carl dutifully gather up Judith and presumably take her to whatever safe haven Alexandria had for their children. He didn’t even come to the door to check on his father, which was good and spoke volumes about their relationship. Daryl wouldn’t have stopped to check on his old man either. He wondered what had pushed Carl to that point, but he didn’t have time to wonder too terribly hard. He had another task and it wasn’t near to being done. Once he knew Carl was out of the house, he looked out the window, watching for the flare … he counted a solid 95 seconds before it went up. Sure enough, the “safe place” for the kids was the house that had been reinforced as a jail way over on the other side of the city. He wasn’t hearing the sounds of fighting yet so he presumed Negan had pulled their people into the shadows the moment the gun had fired. He could only hope the other people that had been sent into the city to get hold of the key members of the group had done their job.

He scooped a naked Rick Grimes into a fireman’s carry and proceeded down the stairs, out the door and walked straight down the main road. Sure enough, most of the civilians of Alexandria were surrounded by Negan’s people and huddled like cattle while every single member of Rick’s group was currently kneeling on the ground in front of what he’d been referring to as the main house. They were all awake, struggling against whatever they were bound with and as their eyes came up to see Daryl, a moment of hope flickered before dying when they saw his burden. He heaved Rick’s body around so he was in his arms and laid him at Negan’s feet.

“Ya couldn’ta dressed him first?”

“Figured if I left ya waitin that long, ya might start thinkin I’d had a change of heart.”

Negan’s eyes looked at him, similar to the way he’d looked at him the day he’d handed Lucille over and the day he’d asked him to track Alison. It was calculating and it went straight down to his soul. 

“I do have to admit, the thought did cross my mind but then I remembered somethin about fancy choices.” Negan grinned and there wasn’t any darkness or stealth. There was simply belief in who Daryl was. “Where’s the other one?”

“Still in the bed. The kids are in the jail on the other end of town, might wanta send someone ta keep an eye on ‘em and spread out through the city. Carl’s …” Daryl stopped and raised his crossbow as he pushed Negan to the left. A moment later, the sound of the shot echoed across the city and Daryl felt the bullet graze his thigh. He didn’t fire back as the person holding the gun couldnt’a been more than 9 or possibly 10. And looked more terrified of the gun than he was of them.

“Well FUCK that hurt.” Daryl managed to grumble out when 2 of their guys had managed to disarm the kid and push him over with the other civilians. He could be dealt with later. “Someone find Carl Grimes a’fore I gotta take another bullet with better aim.”

Negan managed to laugh and Daryl made a note to say somethin to him about that as he began to hobble his way towards Rick’s house.

“Where you goin?”

“Ta get Michonne. No idea how long that gas is gonna last and I’d rather not have her on m’back when she comes to?”

“For fuck’s sake, Savior. Which house?” Roger (yes, that Roger. He’d come a long way once he found his groove with the right supply group) asked and Daryl pointed. He heard the snort from one of the members of the group that was kneeling, presuming it was probably either Maggie or Tara. 

Negan had turned his attention to those members now, Lucille held high and proud on his shoulder. 

“Now this feels a little bit like deja vu, don’t it? Some of you have been here before, ain’t ya?” Negan was smug as he spoke, his naturally loud voice carrying across the short distance. Daryl stood beside him, watchin the reactions of the people in front of them. His leg burned like a motherfucker but he wasn’t about to show weakness. Not here. Later he could bitch about it. Later, he intended to bitch about it.

The pure hatred in some of the assembled members eyes was a physical thing and it was directed squarely at him. Rosita and Maggie in particular, could probably will him dead with their eyes, if possible. Carol seemed to be measuring the situation and Sasha was kneeling with her head down. Eugene was kneeling to the left of Carol, looking panic-stricken and betrayed while Tara was on the other side of him with the same calculating look Carol wore. Before Negan could continue, Roger came walking back up the street with Michonne slung over his shoulders in the same fireman’s carry Daryl had used. He laid her naked form beside Rick’s and went back out, presumably to help look for Carl. 

“I’m sure this is a terrifying experience for some of you. You wake up before the sun to the sound of a gunshot only to find yourselves surrounded. Some of you find you’ve been bound for our safety while others are simply … well, he looks a little tired, don’t he?” Negan grinned that thousand watt smile again and Daryl watched as the group flinched. “But we’re not gonna wait for him to wake up. I want an unbiased answer from each of you so we’re gonna do things just a little bit different from our last meetin and a little bit closer to what some of y’all are used to.”

Negan swung Lucille out like a pointer and Daryl had a flashback to the last time they were like this. Except he wasn’t on this side of the bat. He could see the fear in their bodies, even those that were trying to be brave. Once again, Negan started to sing “Eenie-Meenie-Mynie-Moe”, swinging Lucille from one person to the next and every flinch was a little stab into Daryl’s heart. Regardless of where he was, there had been times these people had been considered HIS people.

When Lucille landed on Eugene, he closed eyes eyes and braced for the impact but, instead he was lifted up to his feet by two of the members of their group and led inside the main house, followed by Negan and Daryl. It was time to start culling the herd.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know some of you saw the note that I'd made this into an MCD fic but I'm happy to report that Albert had a change of heart. We don't all live happily ever after, and the Doctor sure as hell doesn't dance but just this once, everybody lives, Rose! Everybody LIVES!

The men led Eugene into the sitting room that Daryl himself had been sat in when he was interviewed by Deanna and sat him down in one of them cushy parlor chairs. Negan took a seat opposite Eugene and Daryl made his way into the bathroom where he knew a first aid kit was kept so he could take a better look at his leg. He could hear Negan begin talking to Eugene while he stripped his pants down, noticing the graze was still sluggishly bleeding. The graze hurt like a bitch but at least that’s all it was; the bullet had sheared off some of the light leg hairs on his thigh and left behind one hell of a burn but at least it hadn’t gone through the meat of his thigh and hadn’t hit anything vital (’like Negan’, his inner monologue so helpfully provided). 

He used some of the gauze pads to press against the graze until it stopped bleeding completely. This next part was going to suck but the area had to be disinfected. He took a deep breath and poured the iodine over the wound, hissing out a string of “motherfucking cocksucking assfuck doucherocket goddamned kid I should hang you by your nuts” as the fire licked it’s way up his leg and into his left nut. He grabbed the porcelain of the sink and allowed himself to double over before disinfecting his hands (soap and water this time) to apply the anti-bacterial ointment and wrapping his leg in gauze. Negan had gone silent but so had Eugene; Daryl yanked his pants up, put the kit away and gathered up the used supplies to throw away (Living with Negan made him a bit more of a neat freak than he’d already been, shut up). 

Eugene was still sitting in the chair and his eyes snapped up to Daryl as he entered the room. He looked like a deer sitting on the train tracks with a bum leg. Daryl met his eyes straight on, either challenging or encouraging him to ask what was on his mind.

“Is he for real?”, Eugene asked.

“Yep. Choice is up ta you. Either ya stay or ya go, no consequence to either choice. But if you ever try to come back here and take from us … you’ve seen what Lucille can do, you was there that night Abraham paid for what Rick did to us.” Daryl held Eugene’s eyes and watched the conclusion dawn.

“Well if it’s all the same, I’d rather stay. I ain’t built for life out there fightin for every scrap of food and dealin’ with them Walkers every day. Abraham was my friend, Glen was too and that’s a hard pill to swallow signing on with the guy that ended them but practicality rules over emotion. I want to stay.” Eugene’s slow, methodical thought process reasoned out and Negan nodded his head. 

“Well then we’re sure glad to have you, Eugene. I’m sure we’ll find some way that your contribution can continue here in our new home. Now we don’t want anyone else’s answers to be colored by your decision so I’m gonna have to ask you to go downstairs to the cellar for now. I give you my word, it’s only temporary til everyone else makes their choice. My Savior here can tell you, I’m many things but one of them is a man of my word.”

Eugene’s eyes widened a little at the name but nodded and allowed himself to be escorted down to the basement. The 2 guards went out to get another member of the group and Negan leaned over, putting his hand on Daryl’s hip.

“Thank you. I know that had to hurt like a sonofabitch and I’d be lyin if I said I ain’t glad it’s you and not me with that burn.”, He winked up at Daryl, who scowled at him.

“Yeah mebbe later, after all this is over n’ done you kin kiss my ass to make it feel better.”

“Oh I got plans for your ass, Daryl, don’t you worry your pretty little head about it.”

“Always took you for bein a bastard, not a bitch.”, Rosita’s voice rang through the room, venomous and shrill. “But I suppose bein a bitch is something you’re good at.”

“Now now, Rosita. How about you have a seat and we have a civilized conversation. Would you prefer Daryl here leave so you can concentrate on what we’re discussing or can we all be adults? I won’t have you spend your time here with me just being angry. I have a proposition for you.”

Rosita turned and looked at Negan and spit on the floor at his feet. “I don’t see Eugene. I can only imagine what your proposition is. What’d you do, take him out back and slice his throat?”

“Rosita, I’m offering you the same opportunity Eugene was given. He made his choice and you’re going to want to make yours or we’ll make it for you. You’ve always struck me as a woman who prefers to be in charge of her own destiny, isn’t that true?”

Negan’s voice had remained steady and calm throughout the conversation, despite Rosita sneering, spitting and yelling. Finally Daryl had enough.

“Shut up and listen. I know you think this is just a setup but it ain’t and I’m tired’a listenin to ya just yell fer no good reason.”, his voice rose over hers and, surprisingly, she stopped. 

“Thank you, Savior.”

“Don thank me. I’s just hurtin enough I don’t wanna listen to ever’one just bitch all mornin. ‘Ventually I’d like ta get ta breakfast and mebbe a hot cup a coffee.”

“Rosita, listen. I’m a reasonable guy, as is my Savior here. You remember the first time we met and I’m sure my actions there have colored your opinion of me as a person but you have to understand that I was simply retaliating for an attack YOUR group had initiated against us. Prior to your slaughtering of my men, I had no idea you even existed and was perfectly content in the arrangement I had with the Hilltop folks. Now I understand, as Daryl has explained to me, that you had an intimate relationship with Abraham and I am truly sorry that you had to witness his sacrifice in so brutal a manner but I did have to make a point. And, I do believe that over the last year or so, that point has been emphasized.

“Now I’m here to offer you a choice. And it’s a simple one. My people are going to be moving in here to Alexandria and that includes our wives, our kids and our men. You’re more than welcome to remain and integrate yourself into our community without any ill-will being held. You are also free to pack up your things and make your way out of Alexandria today, parting ways as something less than mortal enemies. Should you choose to return and join our community, you’re welcome to do so.”

Rosita had rolled her eyes at the first but was listening to the second. 

“However, if you decide to stay and I find you workin against what we have. Or if you leave and then come back to take from us … You’ll be joinin that man of yours in a far more brutal manner than the way he went out.”

Her normally golden hued skin turned pale at the memory and the threat. Her dark eyes turned up to Daryl, taking in his clean appearance and his well fed frame.

“Lemme guess, I gotta be someone’s bitch like him before I can stay?”

“I ain’t no-one’s bitch and you ain’t either. You was always good at trainin’ folks to fight and engineerin’ shit, somethin we’re always appreciative of. Or you can go, don’t make no difference to us, cept if you try n’ come back later on an’ take. Then you’re a problem and we have a way of dealin with problems.”

Rosita shook her head. “I can’t believe you have the balls to come here, take us captive and then act like there’s a choice. Eugene wouldn’t have chosen to stay and I didn’t see him leavin either to go pack up. Which tells me, you’ve got him somewhere or he’s dead. Either way, I ain’t stayin. If you’re real about me being able to go without any fanfare, that’s my choice. If you’re gonna kill me and tell people I left, I’d still choose that over stayin here with you.”

“We’ll be sorry to see you go. You ever change your mind, you’re welcome to come back. Of course, we need people to make unbiased choices so we’ll be taking you next door to wait out everyone else’s choices.”

One of the guards came behind Rosita and gagged her to keep her silent and marched her struggling form out of the room and towards the back door. Once she left, Daryl shook his head. “Damn, I was hopin’ she’da stayed. She’s damn handy with a wrench.”

“Maybe she’ll come back once she realizes what life is like out there on her own.”

When the guard came back from bringing Rosita to the house, she carried with her 2 hot cups of coffee and offered one to each of them. She grinned as Daryl thanked her. “Oh you’d like to think I brewed it all special just for you, Savior but I got news for you. You ain’t the only one that would sell their soul for a hot cup right now. I found one of them old Percolater machines in the kitchen and there’s a steady stream of us enjoying it while you’re in here taking care of us.”

Daryl choked on his laughter and almost dumped the coffee before be got control of himself.

Carol was next and the same choice was offered. She was silent throughout her time in the chair and she turned those eyes on Daryl with a ghost of a smile on her lips.

“You OK, Pookie?”

Daryl grinned at her, nodding. “I’m alright. I’m better’n alright. I’m good.”

“I’ll stay. I’m tired of being out there and things can’t be all bad if Pookie here looks well fed and smilin like that. Did you get your leg looked at or are you playing at being brave?”

Negan barked out a laugh, tried to hide it as a cough and wound up sounding a bit like he choked on something. “Oh I like her, you weren’t kiddin … Pookie.”

Daryl pointed at Carol while lookin at Negan. “SHE gets to call me that. YOU do not get to call me that.” (in hindsight, the comment would have been far more intimidating if he had managed to control the smile on his lips)

“Yes, I took care’a m’leg. Burned the holy fuck outta it with iodine and wrapped it. C’mon, I’ll take ya downstairs and you kin wait with Eugene. We’re askin ever’one that chooses to stay to wait in the basemen’ so they ain’t colorin other people’s choices.”

“Rosita’s leaving, isn’t she?” Carol asked as Daryl led her to the basement steps.

“Yup. She’s welcome to come back if she can’t hack it out there but she knows what happens if she comes back to just take. We’re havin the same conversation with just about ever’one.”

“Rick isn’t going to be given a choice.”

“No. He’s too volatile n’ he can’t be trusted. He sees people as bein too expendable for what his end goal is.”

“Are you going to kill him?”

“Not unless he tries to come back and take.”

Carol turned a hard eye on Daryl, her “suburban soccer mom” face on. “That decision’s gonna come back and bite you in the ass, Daryl Dixon. You don’t know what he’s been like since that day. You’d be better off putting him down like a rabid dog. A few of us were plannin it ourselves already.”

She turned down the basement steps and walked through the door the guard held open for her. 

By the time Daryl got back to the interview room, Tara was in the chair. She also chose to stay, given the opportunity, as did Sasha which surprised Daryl. He made a note to keep eyes on her, knowing she’d had a close relationship with Abraham.

Maggie was the next in the room. It was the first time Daryl really had a chance to see her and he could practically see how empty her rage had left her. Since they’d met, she’d always had a light inside her eyes that flared whether she was happy, sad or fighting. When his eyes met hers, that light was nowhere to be found. Losing Glen (and apparently the baby) had hollowed her out.

“Just get on with it, ok?”

“Get on with what, Maggie?”

“You don’t get to speak to me. You’re a traitor and a dog. We took you in, gave you a home, shared and fed you. And now we find you here with this monster? You probably fed him every bit of information he has about us. Fuckin traitor.”

Daryl had expected the rant. He hadn’t expected to hear her curse and he chuckled a little at his own surprise. Not the best timing for it, but it certainly provoked a reaction. In a flash, Maggie was launching herself out of the chair and rushing for the bookcase. She’d almost made it before Daryl shot a bolt straight through her wrist that was reaching for something. The howl of pain she let out was reminiscent of when Glen had lost his life. The betrayal in her eyes was answer enough.

“Put her with Rosita, boys. She ain’t gonna wanna stay here and she’s already familiar with what happens to people who take from us. You ever come back here to take, what happened to your man will seem like a blessing.” Negan’s voice was dark with promise an Maggie physically shuddered. She was gagged and led to the other house. 

One of the guards led Carl Grimes through the door, holdin his sister. His one good eye was carefully taking in the environment of the room and measuring the men in front of him. Negan swept his hand over towards the chair and Daryl walked closer. “Y’mind?” He held his arms out for Judith.

He was shocked when Carl handed Judith over without an argument. Both Negan and Daryl were shocked when Carl started speaking first.

“Look, I know I got one mark against me already because I only got the one good eye but I’m a hell of a shot, even just with the one eye. I’m also pretty good with helpin to keep the younger kids occupied and teachin them to defend themselves. I know you have people go out on supply runs and they always have a gun or two with them. I know I got another mark against me because of who my father is but all I can do is tell you I ain’t my father and neither is my sister. I got a girl, Enid and all I want is to make a safe place for us. So if there’s some way you can give me a chance to prove to you that I can be trusted, I’ll take it.”

Daryl could see a coldness in Carl’s eyes but it seemed directed more towards his father than towards Negan and their group. Negan sat back, silently assessing the young man in front of him.

“How old are you, Carl?”

“Old enough to hold a gun, have my first kiss and know what responsibility and survival are, Sir.”

Negan chuckled at that. 

“I haven’t kept track of years but I figure we’ve had … what? 5 winters since the world went to hell? That’d make me … huh. That’d make me 16 or 17, I guess.”

“This girl, Enid. She a good girl, Carl?”

“She can hold a gun, stare down a walker and makes a great home-cooked meal from time to time. She n’ I, we were gonna move in together this last winter but …” Carl’s face hardened into something that surprised even Daryl. “Rick didn’t think it was appropriate. He put her into someone else’s house and has been careful about makin sure Enid and I don’t see each other.”

“But you’ve been seein her when he ain’t watching, haven’t you?”, Negan sounded amused. The sly grin on Carl’s face was all the answer he needed to give and both Daryl and Negan chuckled.

“You realize we ain’t givin your father a choice, right? He’s bein cast out and he ain’t welcome to come back here. That gonna cause a problem for you?”

“He stopped bein my father when he stopped recognizing that I’m a man, not some 8 year old on the school yard.”

Negan actually stood up and, for the first time, offered his hand. “Welcome to Alexandria, Carl Grimes. You and your woman are gonna be a nice addition to our community. I’m gonna ask you to wait downstairs in the basement with the rest of the folk that chose to stay while we talk to Michonne. What do you think about that?”

Carl paused for a moment, his one good eye concentrating in thought before he spoke. “I think Michonne loves Rick too much sometimes. She’ll follow him blind no matter what and I think that’ll get her killed some day. But she might surprise me. Daryl, you remember when we found her? You remember how she was? Sometimes, she’s still that woman when Rick isn’t around. You gonna keep Judy or you want me to take her?”

Daryl held the baby out to Carl and nodded his head as he was led down to the basement.

“Well, that one shocked the shit outta me.”, Negan’s voice was amused.

“Can’t say I anticipated it but there’s been somethin’ brewin ‘tween Carl n’ Rick fer a while. Musta finally come to a head with the girl.”

“You know who she is? Know anything about her?”

“Ya. She was on her own for a long while after her people was too stupid to abandon their car, tryin to jumpstart it when a hoard came back. By the time she found Alexandria, she was half feral but she settled down eventually. I knew they was seein each other a’fore but didn’t know how serious it got. She’s good and she’s sneaky, like Lincoln. Might even make a decent tracker.”

Michonne was led into the sitting room, wrapped in a sheet and took the seat in front of Daryl and Negan. Her eyes went back and forth between the two of them but she didn’t say anything at first. Before either could start however, she spoke first.

“I’m guessing that I’m here being offered a choice. Stay and become absorbed by your group or die, either by your hand or out there in the wild. I haven’t heard screaming, so I’m guessing you aren’t killing people right now. Of the people outside, I can guess I’m the last person that’s being offered a choice because I can’t imagine either of you would trust Rick not to rebel. I’m betting Carol chose to stay, along with Carl because of his woman. Rosita is either dead or on her way out, Maggie too. Eugene could go either way. I’d choose life over death and I’d choose life over Rick Grimes as well, if that’s an option.”

“So you’re wantin’ to stay and help out our group. Become part o’ who we are and what we’re buildin, knowin how we work?”

“I’m wanting to live, Daryl. I’m sure Carol told you already that Rick’s gone off his edge and a few of us had … let’s call them informal plans … to ensure that edge didn’t cost us more than we were willing to pay. When we first met your group, you were retaliating against a group that had attacked you first, I recognize that now. The retribution you took was brutal and it hurt, but it was effective and your point was made. I’d rather be on the side of a group that protects it’s own than be with a one-man army screaming at a brick wall.”

Negan looked over at Daryl, who nodded. He believed her; which didn’t mean he wouldn’t keep just as much of an eye on her as he was planning to on Sasha but he believed her. A thought occurred to him.

“I didn’t see a coupla people I was expectin. The Preacher, Morgan an’ Aaron?”

Michonne shook her head. “Aaron and Eric are both gone. They got caught outside the wall, recruiting even after Rick told them to stop. Morgan realized he wasn’t going to make a change in who Rick is and when he left, The Preacher went with him.”

All that was left now was Rick Grimes.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We've reached the end. I couldn't not do it ... Albert's concession for NOT killing Rick was there had to be a tiny bit of fluff. I admit I tossed a coin. 
> 
> Thank you to everyone that hung with me. Originally this was supposed to be a one shot but it just ... grew. You guys sticking out with me and giving kudos and encouragement made this fic what it is.

Once Michonne had made her choice, instead of leading her down to the basement, Negan had everyone brought back out front where 6 men were guarding a very awake and rabid Rick Grimes. He had a sheet thrown over him, more for the benefit of the witnesses present than his own modesty. There was a light of madness in his eyes that Daryl could see burning it’s way through sense. Rick was as good as dead and this was just the Walker waiting to happen. 

Carl, holding Judith, walked past Rick to the group of civilians and Daryl saw Enid come forward, embracing him and holding him tight against her body. You’d have to be blind not to see how much those two loved each other an maybe they could leave Judith with them instead’a givin her to another family. It was somethin’ they’d have ta talk about after this was done. His eyes slide to Negan’s and he saw him smilin at the couple before turnin his eye towards Daryl, that same smile on his face. They’d have a LOT to talk about after this was done apparently.

“Rick Grimes. I do have to say I never anticipated havin you in this position again but, here we are. You do seem to spend an awful lot of time down on your knees in my presence. One might take that as an invitation if I wasn’t presently “off market” as they say.” (No, Daryl did not feel his heart do a double thump right then. He’d just had too much coffee). 

“You’re a piece of shit, Negan. You came here after all your promises to leave us alone and you drug me and my woman, corral my people and what … now you’re gonna just slaughter us all?”

“Ain’t no-one bein’ slaughtered here.” Rick’s head whipped around and finally he saw Daryl. The despair in his eyes was fleeting and was quickly burned out by the madness. “We jus’ came to offer a choice to some a’ the people here. Our group’s growin and we’re lookin to re-settle. The people of Alexandria will continue to BE the people of Alexandria an’ life’ll go on jus like it always has. Only change’ll be they won’t have ta tribute no more cuz we’ll be here livin together. Tributes will come here instead’a leavin here.”

Daryl hadn’t meant to make such a speech and he looked at Negan out of the corner of his eye, hopin he han’t overstepped but Negan was lookin proud o’ him. That look always made his stomach flop and that had shit-all to do with the coffee.

“You. You did this. You brought them here after we took care of you? After I took care of you? When Merle left you? When he tried to kill you? When the Claimers had you? This is how you repay your brother?”

“You ain’t no brother a’ mine an you never was. Yeah we shared space but it was always about what I could do for you. What dirty work you needed doin that Glen was too good fer. You stepped over that boundary when you took us to attack Negan’s group and Abraham and Glen paid the price for that.”

“No. Abraham paid the price. Glen was on you, Daryl. Entirely 100% on you and your damn animal instinct. YOU got Glen killed and that’s why we left you. I knew where you were, knew where the camp was. Aaron and Heath? They tried to go get you and I told them to leave you. You killed Glen, you got exactly what you deserved.”

“And I’m here to thank you for that, Rick. If you hadn’ta left me, I never woulda found where I belong.”

A murmur of “Avenging Savior” was whispered from behind him and Rick’s eyes widened in shock.

“You were never one of us. I won’t ever forget what you did here, Dixon.”

“And that’s enough of that.”, Negan interrupted, his hand warm and solid against Daryl’s shoulder. He wore a brave face but hearing the words come out of Rick’s mouth had stabbed him deep, in a place he never thought he knew he could hurt. It wiped away the confidence, burned away the feeling of pride. He was Daryl Dixon, the throwaway again and it hurt so deep, deeper than the burn on his leg. He jumped when he felt himself being surrounded, hands on his back or his shoulder. He was surrounded at his back by the group of Saviors and they were reminding him of his place. Reminding him of his importance.

“Rick, everyone was offered a choice. Some chose to stay, some chose to leave. You civilians have the same opportunities now that the group of decision makers has let their desires be known. Anyone who wants to leave is welcome to do so. You can pack up your belongings and be gone by this time tomorrow morning. If you choose to leave, there are no hard feelings. If you choose to come back, you’re welcome. But if you stay and work against what we have going, or if you come back and you try to take from us?”

Negan picked Lucille from the porch step and offered her to Daryl. 

“My Avenging Savior.”

Daryl wrapped his hand around the grip, taking his practice swing and re-adjusting his hands. His mind burned with the first time he’d been here. He looked at Negan who nodded and took a step back.

“If you take, we take. If you hurt, we hurt back.”

Lucille came up on Daryl’s shoulder and he looked down at Rick.

“Claimed.”

Lucille came down and kissed Rick Grimes left knee and thigh. The barb wire dug into the flesh and a blossom of red came on the sheet covering his body. Daryl hadn’t realized how hard he’d swung until he tried to pull Lucille back and struggled; quite a bit of Rick Grimes came back with Lucille when she tore free. 

“We ain’t here to hurt no-one. We ain’t here to change nothin’. We’re just comin here to stay and make Alexandria what it can be. You accept that Negan here is in charge and you keep workin the way you have been, there ain’t no reason life won’t go on jus’ the way it always has been.”

Daryl handed Lucille back to Negan and, shockingly, felt Negan slide his arm over Daryl’s shoulders. 

“We got a doc that can clean up your leg an’ make sure you ain’t gonna die but after that, you’re gonna be taken out somewhere and left. You don’t come back here or I’ll finish what my Savior here started. As for Maggie and Rosita, you best go packin as you’ll be leavin ‘afore dusk. You ever want to come back, you know the rules.”

Negan physically turned Daryl away from the crowd and whispered in his ear, “Which house you want?”

Daryl smiled and led Negan to the house he’d been livin in before he’d been taken. He’d never done anythin with it, never quite feelin like it was “his” but now he could share it and that made it a little better.

***

Just as Daryl had predicted, 95% of the people who’d been in Alexandria remained in Alexandria. Rosita and Maggie had both been gone by noon and Rick was bein’ seen to by their doc, who’d been almost giddy with the state of their clinic. Roger and a few others had been sent out to get the rest of their group to bring them to Alexandria and get settled into their new homes. They’d decided they would have enough room here in Alexandria for both groups, plus have extra room for more as they expanded. The older camp would be a refuge and could be used as a training area for defense, fighting and tracking. 

Once the children came out of the jail and went to their families, they found 5 kids that had no family, not a single one over the age of 10. They’d all been staying in a house with one of the women who’d been in charge of a foster home before the turn. She was elderly and not always able to respond immediately to one of the kids needs but there were a few families from the camp that had either lost children or had wanted them and couldn’t have them. Daryl didn’t worry too much about the 5 kids, knowin they’d be taken care of here. 

Enid and Carl had, apparently, already picked out a house they wanted to move into last winter and Daryl chuckled when he noticed them just slipping into it like they’d been livin there all this time. Somethin told him if they were to “visit”, they’d find a house that was very much already “lived in”. Michonne returned to the house she’d been living with Rick in but only long enough to clean out their stuff, pack her own and move into a different house on the other side of the city. Everyone else just … went on as though today were just another day. The supply trucks were brought into Alexandria and a couple of people were already talkin about takin some space on the empty end of town and turnin it into a garage for the bigger trucks. By dusk, everyone was inside the gates and people were out on their porches, introducin themselves or familiarizin themselves with the layout of the town.

By full dark, everyone was in their homes and that included Negan and Daryl. They were sittin in the livin room of the house (their house), drinkin a cold beer a piece. They were close enough on the couch (the only piece of furniture in the living room) that their knees would brush up against each other every now and again (somethin Negan seemed to enjoy doin).

“When you left the compound this morning, I had my doubts. I didn’t know what I’d be coming into showing up here. I’m sorry for that.”

Daryl was stunned silent. Not by the admission but the apology.

“What’re you sorry fer? For bein smart about protectin your pe …”

“Ours, Savior.”

“Huh?”

“They aren’t “my” people anymore. They’re “our” people. You’re their Savior, the one with the strength to protect them and bear the scars of their struggle. I’m their King, the final word on what happens. But we’re in this together, you and I, Daryl.”

Daryl put his beer down and leaned over the couch, taking Negan’s beer and putting it on the floor next to his own before climbing and straddling Negan’s waist. He looked down into Negan’s face.

“You know, that’s awful close to “romancin’ me”. I thought that wasn’t us.”

“I tell you you’re the strong arm of my little fiefdom and you take that as romance? Fuck me, Savior, I’d almost be afraid you’d go find that Preacher n’ try to marry me if I baked you a fuckin cake.”

“I jus’ might. But for now, I like that thin’ you just said about fuckin.”

Negan’s hands came under Daryl’s ass and lifted him up a little higher so he could thrust against their clothes and Daryl could feel how hard his cock was. 

“And I did promise you that I had plans for your ass tonight.” The promising smile was back and Negan leaned up to catch Daryl’s mouth in a kiss that sent pure fire down every nerve ending in his body. “Please tell me there’s a bed in this house, at least?” Negan managed to whisper against Daryl’s mouth.

“Why don’t you go upstairs and see for your damned self while I clean up the beers.”

Daryl managed to get the bottles cleaned up and put into the kitchen before headin upstairs. He was almost afraid to admit he had no idea if there was a bed in the house or not because he’d only ever slept on the couch. Turns out,he was lucky and there were 4 beds and he found Negan on the 3rd try. It was what he found when he opened the door that he was focusing on, however.

Negan had stripped naked and was layin in the middle of the bed with his legs spread, hard cock already leakin against his stomach and 1 finger workin back and forth against his hole.

Daryl stripped out of his clothes in record time and climbed into the bed, layin to the side of Negan’s body because he wasn’t sure if he was readin what was goin on right and he didn’t want to make a wrong move. Negan turned his head to look Daryl in the face, a slow grin on his face. It was a new smile, one Daryl hadn’t seen before.

“I knew you were a virgin the first night we fucked. What I didn’t tell you is that I ain’t never bottomed in my life. I was always the dominant guy, the leader and the coach. And I ain’t doin this because I feel like I owe you anything but because I want you to have it. We’re in this together, like I said downstairs. We’re equals here so I want you to know that even with my doubts this mornin, I trust you.”

Daryl didn’t know what to do with that kind of trust. He was frozen for a moment, just watchin Negan’s eyes. It wasn’t a softness because that wasn’t part of their arrangement but it was … less brutal, less about taking and more about sharing. He felt Negan reach over and put his hand on his cock. “Fuck me, Savior. I’ve owned you from the beginning but it’s time for you to own me just as much.”

Daryl tightened his hand around Negan’s cock and began to stroke, putting all of his focus on the stroke of his hand and the feel of Negan’s pulse under his palm. This wasn’t love but it was damn close to intimate. And Daryl could walk away tomorrow with this memory forever but he sure as fuck wasn’t plannin on it right this second. He twisted his palm just as he reached the foreskin and pulled it back, exposing that oh-so-sensitive head before leaning forward and blowing a puff of air over it. Negan’s body shivered with the stimulation and Daryl grinned, rolling just the foreskin back and forth, working the head while Negan began to squirm and thrust. The more he thrust, the slower Daryl moved his hand until Negan got the message. 

He stilled, bracing his arms against the headboard and planting his feet on the mattress. He pulled himself up just enough that he could watch Daryl as he teased and stroked, working him just around the edges of an orgasm before stopping entirely. Daryl watched Negan, never taking his eyes off as he slid his mouth down over Negan’s impressive girth and, for the first time in the year or so they’d been doing this, he swallowed every single inch in one swallow without Negan pushing down into his throat. Negan’s eyes rolled as he felt Daryl swallow; the constriction of his throat around Negan’s length enough to have his balls heavy and tight. When he still didn’t pull off and swallowed a second time, Negan was swearing at him as he wanted to just fuck Daryl’s mouth. Finally he pulled off and concentrated on just sucking and licking the head while he slid his fingers into the tub of slick that Negan must have brought with him. He hesitated a moment, looking up at Negan for a breath before sliding one finger into his hole. 

It was tight and he had to pull his finger back and forth a few times, working on opening him up but eventually, the smooth channel opened and he was stroking and curling his finger inside Negan’s ass while he sucked on his cock. As he added a second finger, he deep-throated Negan’s entire length again and Negan began panting hard, chanting his name. He knew Negan couldn’t stop himself as his his began to rock back and forth, fucking up into his mouth … he could see Negan’s face and that blissed out expression was the same as the first time he’d deep-throated him. He wanted more … He wanted to see Negan lose control. Just once. to trust Daryl completely. As he pulled his mouth off Negan’s cock, the third finger slid into his hole and Negan growled. 

“Daryl Dixon if you don’t get your cock inside of me right now, I swear to fuck I will hide your fucking crossbow for a month.”

Daryl grinned and chuckled a bit as he fucked his fingers back and forth inside Negan.

“My crossbow, huh? Is this Negan, King of the Saviors, begging his Avengin fuckin Saviour to fuck him? Is that what you want, Negan? T’have me buried inside your hole like you’ve fucked me a hundred times? To own you and mark you like you did to me? Open your fucking throat and leave a bite mark that ever’one can fuckin see to know you’re MINE?” Daryl had no idea where it came from but he leaned up against Negan’s body, spreading his legs and lined his cock up with Negan’s asshole.

He looked right down at Negan, lust-blown eyes rolling wide in his sockets.

“Who are you?”

“Your King.”

Daryl slid his cock home and felt Negan clench around him so tight he couldn’t move. 

“Who am I?

“My Savior”

Daryl pulled out and eased his way back in, one bare inch at a time.

“Who are we?”

“Whatever we want.”

Daryl set the slow, deliberate pace while they stared into each other’s eyes. There was no brutality, no power struggle, no love or affection. But it was a bonding as they rolled their hips.

“I want that, Daryl.”

“Want what?”

Negan’s answer was to turn his head, offering his neck. Daryl’s cock twitched so hard, his balls pulled up against his body and he’d never felt such a rush of want in his life. His mouth watered as he lowered his lips, kissing the pulse of Negan’s neck as he’d done to Daryl a thousand times before.

“We don’t need marks. We know who we are an’ that’s what matters.”

When Negan rolled his hips up again and clenched his hole, he looked Daryl in the eye, holding him inside.

“This isn’t about need. I want people to always know my Savior marked me. You wear the scars that show who you are … give me a scar to show the world who I am.”

Daryl’s teeth sunk into the tender skin as he felt Negan’s cock twitch between them, painting their chests with his cum. He tasted the copper of Negan’s blood in his mouth  as he painted Negan’s insides with his cum. 

They were both exactly where they belonged.

***

Rick Grimes was suitable to leave 3 days after the takeover. He had no infection, he had gauze and antibiotic creams. Michonne had packed his things (minus his guns) into his bags and left them at the clinic. Early in the morning, another vaporizer had been left in his room at the clinic and he was completely unconscious when he was put into the truck and driven 150 miles west, blindfolded. It would take them about 3 hours to get out there and they knew from the night of the takeover that he’d be out for at least 6 hours. They were tasked with putting him somewhere safe, leave his guns and come home.

Negan was nowhere to be found the morning Rick was being loaded into the truck so Daryl was overseeing it, along with making sure the tribute trucks were going out. He’d had a few Alexandrians approach him about helpin out a bit more and he thought that doin tribute runs would be a good way to get them used to things so there were a few new people to work with but overall it was comin’ along fine. The truck with Rick in it left and Daryl finished makin sure the tributes were alright before he turned back towards his house. He needed plan a schedule for headin out to the compound to do some trackin and he noticed Negan comin out of a house down the street. Daryl knew the girl that lived in the house; she’d been a quiet little thing at the compound but always nice an’ she worked with clothes and such. She’d had some experience with dyes and had made some blankets for the kids that were colourful.

Daryl strolled into the house just behind Negan and noticed a piece of gauze just under his shirt.

“Y’alright?”

“Yep. I’m just fine.” Negan had that “shit eatin” tone to his voice. The one that said he knew the punchline and Daryl didn’t even know the joke yet.

“What’d you want at Rosie’s place?”

“Oh she was doin me a favor.”

“Are ya plannin on makin me ask a thousan questions here or ya just gonna show me what she inked inna ya shoulder?” 

Negan turned around and he honestly looked surprised.

“She works with dyes, she sketches all the time. Ain’t too far a stretch to guess she slung ink before the turn. Now with power, she could come up with the pieces for a decent sterilization station an a tattoo machine. So what’d you get?”

Negan reached down to the hem of his shirt and pulled it off. Once again, Daryl admired the smooth lines of his body and was tempted to lick his way up those abs. Instead he focused on the gauze that Negan pulled away from his shoulder. 

A perfect imprint of his teeth marks in black against Negan’s shoulder just where he’d bitten him the night of the takeover. But it was the “Avenging Savior” written underneath across his collarbone that did Daryl in. He looked up at Negan, completely dumbfounded.

“I told you. I want to know I can carry a mark for my Savior since you carry so many for me.”

“I’m gonna bake you a fuckin cake.”

“I’ll find the Preacher.”

They both laughed and went back to work planning their next conquest.

Together.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on [ TUMBLR ](http://intheclosetstudio.com). I post a lot about food, audiobooks, fanfiction and coffee.


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